Lobster salad with Mint oil and petite greens

I started a conversation with my long lost friend on the net, as we were about to say audios amigo, he reminded me that he was going to the farm in arizona which harvested lobsters. That sparked an idea of posting this wonderful recipe that i tried during my stay at arizona. It is not a time consuming process but a simple and easy one that can be done with ease.

Makes 4 portions

Ingredients

Lobster claws 4ea

Extra virgin Olive oil 2.5tsp

White wine 1.5 cup

Salt to taste

Peppercorns whole 1tsp

Thyme 3stems

Shallots chopped 2tsp

Bay leaf 1ea

For the salad:

Basil leaves 1/2cup

Blood beets petite 1/2cup

Lemon zest 1ea

For the Dressing:

Lemon juice 1ea

Mustard 1/2tsp

Blood orange juice 1ea

Extra virgin olive oil 2Tbsp

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Mint oil:

Water 3cups

Extra virgin oilve oil 3/4cup

For garinsh:

Apple (thinly sliced) 1ea

Method:

• In a shallow pot pour the put the olive oil saute the shallots put the peppercorns and then add the white wine to this.
• Place the lobster claws in the pan with the liquid and add the bayleaves, thyme add salt, cover it and let in simmer the liquid until it is reduced to 1/4th.
• Break the claw and extract the meat and keep aside.
• In a bowl place the mustard add the olive oil and mix thoroughly, gently add the lemon juice and keep whisking and then add in the blood orange juice similarly, saeason and keep it aside.
• To make the mint oil, pour the water in a shallow pot bring to a boil (have ice bath ready before starting), plunge mint leaves into the boiling water for 25 seconds, and immedietly plundge into the ice bath.
• Remove the mint leaves patt it dry on a paper towel and place it in a blender, add the extra virgin olive oil and blend it thoroughly
• Strain it through a cheese cloth or coffee filter.
• Line a tray with parchment paper and spray it with oil, place the sliced apples on top and place another clean tray flat on top and place it on a hot surface and dry it.
• When it is ready for service toss the greens in the dressing and place it on the plate. Place the extracted claw meat on the plate and drizzle with the dressing.
• Drizzle the mint oil around the salad and garnish with the apple slice.

Avial a Indian dish making waves

Avial goes with rice and also with Indian bread (Chappati)Avial in its true form

When my wife called me to talk about the posts on my blog she was very much enthusiastic in her voice and she told i have a surprise for you. I was eager, to know what was in this surprise for me and here it is the surprise she gave me. My mother and wife, made sure that the photo's were taken of the dish with the accompliments and sent it to me.

Indian dishes, have a unique flavor with the addition to spices that has come down from generations. This is reflected in every households in India. Festivals that are celebrated in India, has its relation to food. It is common throughout the country to have a unique dish that gets its origin in a perticular state or region. Towards the south of India is a state called Kerala, were my parents are from, they bought with them the regions most famous dish avial, when they decided to settle in Bangalore (another state in south India).

Yield 5 portions

Ingredients:

Carrots jardiniere 2 oz

Drumstick jardiniere 2 oz

French beans jardiniere 2 oz

Turnips jardiniere 2 oz

Potato jardiniere 2 oz

Plantain jardiniere 2 oz

Yam jardiniere 2 oz

Eggplant jardiniere 2 oz

Radish jardiniere 2 oz

Curry leaves whole 1/2 oz

Coconut Oil 4 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Water 1 Cup

For the Sauce:

Coconut grated 4 oz (1 ea)

Thai bird chili 2 ea

Cumin Seeds 1/2 oz

Coriender Seeds 1/2 oz

Yoghut 1/2 cup

Method:

• Wash the vegetable thorough and cut them into jardiniere.
• Add salt, turmeric powder, curryleaves, one thai bird chili to the vegetables (except the plantains, beans and potato steam seperately), steam them in a covered pan with the water.
• In a blender add the grated coconut, 1 thai bird chili, cumin seeds, coriender seeds and yoghut and whip it up to a fine puree.
• Remove the half boiled vegetables from the pan and pour the puree and heat it up until it comes to a simmer.
• Add all the vegetables to the puree in the pan and cook it covered for about 8 minutes.
• Once cooked add Coconut oil on the top and place it covered until service.

During service the avial can be garnished with fried curry leaves and grated dry coconut (not in photo)