Shanghai Lobster

Yield: 6 Servings

 

 

Ingredients

 

6 4-ounce raw lobster tails in shells

 

1/8 teaspoon ground pink or a mix of various peppercorns

 

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

 

3 spring onions, white parts only, sliced lengthwise

 

12 cups washed and dried mixed greens (buttercrunch, radicio, watercress, baby spinach, red leaf lettuce, green leaf lettuce, parsley, rapini, or your favorites)

 

1/4 red bell pepper, seeded and cut in thin matchsticks

 

12 black (ripe) olives, cut in thin rings

 

3 cups cold water

 

6 ice cubes

 

2 cups water

 

 

 

Marinade

 

Ingredients

 

1 cup strained, cooled simmering liquid

 

1 cup Shaoxing rice wine or sake

 

2 teaspoons Turbinado sugar

 

 

 

Dressing

 

Ingredients

 

4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

 

1 medium-sized shallot, peeled and minced

 

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 

 

 

Garnish

 

Green points from top of spring onions

 

 

Steps

 

1. Bring 3 cups cold water to a boil.
2. Remove lobsters tails (abdomens) from ice box and allow to come to room temperature for ½ hour.
3. Cut the underside of the tail on each side of the tail shell segments from top to bottom and remove the meat of the tail.
4. Bring cold water to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer in a skillet with a lid that is large enough to hold the tails in a single layer. Add the tail shells, white slices of spring onion and ginger to the water. Turn water down to a simmer.
5. Simmer for 5 minutes. 
6. Remove shells, place in a bowl and reserve in the ice box.
7. Use tongs to add each lobster tail to the simmering water.  When all the tail are added, the water should cover the tails.  If not, add enough cold water to cover.  Bring water back to simmering.
8. Cover and turn off the heat. Allow to poach for 5-8 minutes (Timing is dependent on the meatiness of the tails. Tails should be white to the center when done.
9. Mix the ice cubes and water.
10. Use tongs to remove each tail from the simmering water and place them in the ice cold water for 2 minutes.
11. Place tails in a deep, narrow bowl.
12. Allow 1 cup of simmering liquid to come to room temperature.
13. Add the sugar and rice wine/sake to the cup of simmering water and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
14. If a non-alcoholic version is desired, boil the marinade for 3 minutes and then allow to return to room temperature.
15. Pour cool marinade over poached tails. Cover.
16. Place poached tails in marinade in ice box overnight.
17. Remove tails from marinade. Pat dry. 
18. Mix together all of the dressing ingredients.
19. Plate 2 cups greens, matchstick red bell pepper and black olive rings on 6 serving plates. Sprinkle with dressing. 
20. Put each tail in a reserved shell and place in the center of each plated salad.
21. Garnish with green spring onion points.
22. Serve cold with a dipping bowl of the marinade to the side for each guest.