Valentino's Lobster-Farro Salad

Recipe Ingredients

		Red Beet Vinaigrette
1		Red beet (large)
1 teaspoon	5ml	Chopped shallots
1 tablespoon	15ml	Balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon	15ml	Honey
2 tablespoons	30ml	Water
		Salt - to taste
		Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste
1/2 cup	118ml	Extra-virgin olive oil
		Assembly
1 cup	237ml	Faro - see * Note
5 tablespoons	75ml	Olive oil - plus
1 teaspoon	5ml	Olive oil - divided
		Salt - to taste
		Freshly-ground black pepper - to taste
1/4 cup	27g / 1oz	Celery leaves
1/4 cup	27g / 1oz	Carrot tops and chives in 1" pieces
2		Lobsters - (1 1/4 lbs ea)
1 teaspoon	5ml	Chopped chives
2 tablespoons	30ml	Lemon juice
		Red Beet Vinaigrette - (listed above)

Recipe Instructions

* Note: Farro, also called spelt, is a barley-like grain available at Italian markets and at health food stores.

For the Red Beet Vinaigrette: Cook the beet in boiling salted water until tender, about 40 minutes; trim and peel.

Cut it into quarters, and place it in a blender with shallots, vinegar, honey, water, and salt and pepper. Puree, then slowly add one-half cup oil until the mixture is smooth, covering the blender with a towel to prevent splatters. (Makes 3/4 cup)

For Assembly: Boil the farro in a quart of salted water until al dente, about 30 minutes. Drain. Place the cooked farro in a bowl and dress it with 2 tablespoons of oil and salt and pepper. Set aside.

Combine celery leaves, and mixed carrot tops and chive pieces with 1 teaspoon of olive oil; set aside.

Tie a stick to each lobster tail to prevent curling. Place the lobsters head first in a large pot of boiling water. Return to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove lobsters from the pot and cool to room temperature.

Place each lobster on its back and using a knife or shears, cut into the underside of the shell, catching and reserving juice. Reserve the green tomalley (liver). Remove meat from tail and slice it into medallions. Carefully remove meat from each large claw in one piece.

In a bowl, whisk the lobster juice, tomalley, chopped chives, 1 to 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil, lemon juice and salt to taste. Dress the lobster meat with this mixture.

To serve, put a ring mold (4- by 2-inch) on each plate. Layer salad by placing one-half cup of dressed farro in the bottom of each mold, then an equal number of medallions and claws, then an equal amount of the greens. Carefully remove the mold so the salad is presented in a stack. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the lobster and on the plate. (If you don't have ring molds, mound and layer the ingredients to create a neat stack.) Serve immediately.

This recipe yields 4 servings.

Each serving: 636 calories; 11 grams protein; 50 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 47 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 16 mg. cholesterol; 114 mg. sodium.

Source:
The Los Angeles Times, 07-23-2003

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