Bountiful Lobster Salad

Zeeland lobsters are highly prized and valued for their succulent, sweet, juicy and tender meat. Located in the westernmost part of the Netherlands, Zeeland consists of many islands and the surrounding waters are home to some of the highest quality seafood in the world. This refreshing salad dish is served at the elegant Manor Inter Scaldes in Zeeland and developed by Michelin Chef Martje Boudeling.

In this recipe, the Zeeland lobsters are cooked in a court bouillon for a few minutes and peeled to reveal its meat. The lobster meat is combined with a mix of salad greens called mesclun, basil leaves, watercress, chives, asparagus, and artichoke. The salad is seasoned with a dressing made with olive oil, garlic, coriander, sherry vinegar, minced herbs, salt and pepper. The lavish dish is garnished with Chinese truffles, black truffles, and Italian truffles, as well as fresh herbs and minced parsley. The structure of the dish is important in its overall enjoyment. The leaves, vegetables, herbs, lobster meat, and truffles should be layered and constructed for the utmost dining pleasure.

You can also use regular lobster to make this recipe. Alternatively, you can also use crayfish or prawns as long as you cook them before tossing with the salad. Make sure you do not overcook the seafood or you will lose the desirable succulence and sweet flavor. It is also not necessary to use three kinds of truffles if you have a hard time finding them or find them too expensive. If you can’t find fresh truffles, you can use truffle oil instead to flavor the dish. Chinese truffles are the most affordable of all the truffles but have a milder flavor. They are darker in color than the black truffles from France and have less veining when cut. Italian truffles are the most expensive and of the highest quality. Combined together, French, Italian and Chinese truffles provide a rare culinary treat and gastronomic experience. Other recipes can be found at Gourmandia.ca.

Ingredients

2 Zeeland lobsters (1 lb.)
1 ½ tablespoons corn salad
24 endive leaves
chopped dill
chopped chervil
chopped chive
allspice, basil, cress
1 bunch green asparagus
mesclun (chervil, arugula, leafy lettuces and endive in equal proportions)
3 tablespoons winter truffles
3 ½ tablespoons artichokes or chanterelle mushrooms
Xeres vinegar, salt, pepper
4 tablespoons truffle oil
olive oil

1. Cook the one pound live Zeeland lobster for seven or eight minutes in a court-bouillon. Once the lobster has cooked, peel and slice into pieces. Remove the intestines and the gritty pouch inside the head. Cut the tail into thin pieces.

2. Make the salad dressing by mixing olive oil, garlic, coriander, sherry vinegar, and minced herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Toss the different kinds of lettuce in the salad dressing and season with salt and pepper. Dress the sliced artichoke and green asparagus. Arrange the seasoned vegetables on the plate. Sprinkle on some chives and add the chili pepper, basil and watercress. Heap the seasoned greens and young sprouts in the middle of the dish.

4. Season the Chinese truffle with a little truffle oil and some salt and pepper. Arrange the three kinds of shaved truffles on the plate.

5. Season the lobster pieces and arrange around the plate. Heap the flesh tail meat on top of the mesclun.

6. Sprinkle some parsley, garnish with some herbs. Drizzle some dressing around the plate and serve.