"Sea and Be Seen": A Trio of Spiny Tail Lobster and Alligator Pear Salad, Crispy Rock Shrimp, and a Daiquiri Shot
- Level: Advanced
- Yield: 4 servings
- Total: 2 hr 30 min
- Prep: 1 hr
- Inactive: 1 hr
- Cook: 30 min
Ingredients
Ice, for shaker
1 large lime, cut into 4 wedges
8 ounces white rum
2 ounces premium Triple Sec
4 ounces simple syrup, recipe follows
2 ounces fresh squeezed lime juice
Simple Syrup:
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
Crispy Rock Shrimp:
2 medium eggs
1 (12-ounce) can club soda, chilled
2 cups all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper
1 pound rock shrimp, cleaned and deveined
Canola oil, for frying
Miami Mojo, recipe follows
Alligator Pear Salad, recipe follows
Miami Mojo:
1/2 cup olive oil
5 tablespoons garlic, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sour orange juice (naranja agria), or lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Salt
"Alligator Pear", Avocado and Spiny Tail Lobster Salad:
3 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 (8-ounce) spiny lobster tails, cut through the shell crosswise in 1-inch lengths
2 ripe avocados
1 lemon, juiced, plus more for coating avocado
1/2 cup good quality extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup small diced ripe papaya
1/4 cup mixed micro greens or cilantro sprigs
Directions
- Fill a large bar shaker with ice. Add the lime wedges and rum and crush together with a muddler or wooden spoon. Add the Triple Sec, simple syrup, and lime juice and shake well. Strain into shot glasses and serve as part of the trio. In a small saucepan, stir sugar into water. Cook over low heat until the sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Fill a heavy Dutch oven a little less than halfway with oil. Heat oil to 360 degrees F. Crack the eggs into a medium bowl. With a whisk, lightly beat the eggs and pour in the cold soda water. Slowly incorporate the flour into the egg mixture and continuing to whisk until a smooth batter forms. Season the batter with salt and pepper. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel. Dip the shrimp into the batter allowing the excess batter to drip off. Fry the shrimp in the heated oil until golden brown and just cooked within, about 4 minutes. Remove to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Serve immediately as part of the trio with the Miami Mojo.
Miami Mojo:
- In a medium sized saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic. Cook until the garlic becomes fragrant and lightly toasted but not brown. Add the cumin, chili flakes, orange and sour orange juice. Bring to a boil and let simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Add the cilantro and season with salt. Serve warm with the Crispy Rock Shrimp.
"Alligator Pear", Avocado and Spiny Tail Lobster Salad:
- In medium saute pan, over medium heat, add the butter and the garlic. Add the lobster tail pieces to the pan and cook through, about 6 minutes. Discard the garlic, remove the lobster meat from the shell and roughly chop. With the skin on and starting at 1 end of an avocado, slice each into 8 (1/4-inch) rings. Only slice the rings from the ends of the avocados and dice the flesh near the pit. Remove the skin from the slices and lightly coat with lemon juice to prevent browning. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, juice of 1 lemon and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Add the diced avocado, papaya and lobster meat to the olive oil mixture and gently incorporate all the ingredients. On a large plate, fan out the avocado rings and place a generous amount of the lobster salad on top. Garnish with the micro greens or cilantro. Arrange the other 2 components of the trio on plate and serve.