Serves 4
4 lobsters, about 1 lb each
12 asparagus
3 bunches basil
1 pint canola oil
4 oranges
4 beets
Olive oil Salt
2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
2 endives
METHOD
Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Place the lobsters into the boiling water and cook for 8 minutes then shock them in ice water. Once cool, shell the lobsters and reserve the meat. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Peel and blanch the asparagus until al dente and shock in ice water.
Pick the leaves off the basil, blanch quickly, and then shock in ice water. Remove as much water as possible from the basil leaves using a towel. Chop finely and blend on high with the canola oil. Strain through cheesecloth and reserve. Segment the oranges, squeeze, and reserve the remaining juice. Season the beets with olive oil and salt, then wrap in foil and roast in an oven at 350°F for 1 hour or until tender. Once cool, remove the skins and slice very thin. Bring water to a boil, add the quinoa, and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Cool the quinoa on a tray. Season the quinoa with the orange juice, basil oil, and salt to taste.
ASSEMBLY
Arrange the beets on a plate in a circle. Place about half a cup of quinoa in the middle of the plate. Arrange the endive leaves and asparagus around the quinoa. Place the meat of one lobster on top of the quinoa. Garnish with basil oil and serve.
Handling Beets
Boiling, baking, or steaming beets without peeling first helps retain their nutrients and color. For the best flavor, bake them in foil to avoid staining! To remove beet juice from your skin, rub with wet salt and lemon juice before washing with soap and water. Adding a tablespoon of vinegar to beet cooking water reduces the odor and helps them retain their bright color. Beets are high in sodium, so you don’t need to add salt to cooking water. Add beets to a dish right before serving to avoid the color bleeding into the rest of the ingredients. Grated raw beets are great in a salad!
