Maine Lobster Salad With Blood Orange And Tarragon-Citrus Vinaigrette

TammyPeters|Sept. 11, 2014 10:34 am EST

4 (1 ratings)

Start your meal with this fresh salad. If you can’t find blood oranges, substitute with clementines. Serve crisp glasses of grüner veltliner from Austria, which is a great partner for vinaigrette-topped salads. Adapted from a recipe by Samuel Haywood, executive chef and Director of Food and Beverage at The Harraseeket Inn in Freeport, Maine.Click Here to See More Salad Recipes

Servings

4

Maine Lobster Salad with Blood Orange and Tarragon-Citrus Vinaigrette

Ingredients

2 1½-pound maine lobsters
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon finely minced blood orange zest
½ teaspoon fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
pinch of cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 small bunch plus ½ teaspoon fresh chives, chopped
1 small shallot, peeled and minced
½ cup walnut or almond oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 heads belgian endive
2 small heads baby frisee
2 blood oranges, cut into sections
edible flower blossoms or herb leaves, for garnish

Directions

In a very large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the lobsters until they turn bright red, about 10 minutes.
Let the lobsters cool slightly. Twist off the lobster tails and claws, and remove the meat. Remove and discard the intestinal vein that runs the length of each lobster tail. Cut the lobster tail into medallions, and pat dry.
Combine the balsamic vinegar, zest, tarragon leaves, cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon of the fresh chives, and the shallots in a non-corroding bowl. Whisk to combine, and then add the oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly to emulsify. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Wash and dry the greens. Separate the leaves, and divide among 4 plates. Divide the lobster medallions evenly among the plates, and place a claw on each plate, too. Top with the blood orange sections, and drizzle with the vinaigrette. Decorate with edible flower blossoms or herb leaves.