Vanilla Vinaigrette Over Lobster Medallions

A simply beautiful starter for any dinner is this delicious salad made with lobster medallions. Beautifully layered, this dish conjures up visions of elegance and delicious expectations of the meal to follow. Lobster which is revered for its taste is an excellent choice for a seafood component to your meal.

The American lobster is found on the Atlantic coast of the United States. It thrives in cold, shallow waters where there are many rocks and other places to hide from predators and is both solitary and nocturnal. It feeds on fish, small crustaceans, and mollusks. It is found as far south as North Carolina but is famously associated with the colder waters around Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. They commonly range from 8 to 24 inches in length and 1 to 9 lb. in weight, but have been known to reach lengths of well over (1 yd) and weigh as much as 44 lb (very rare) or more, making this the heaviest marine crustacean in the world. An average adult is about 9 inches long and weighs 1.5 to 2.0 lb.

Salad Recipe
(Serves 4)
1 lobster (steam or boil 1 1/2 lbs.)
1 avocado sliced
1 tomato sliced
4 ozs. Arugula
½ red onion sliced thin
Small pinch of fresh chervil

Dressing
¼ C sherry vinegar
½ C grape seed oil
1 vanilla bean
2 shallots finely diced
Salt, pepper& sugar
Cut vanilla bean in half (long way) and scrape out vanilla seeds. Mix with vinegar and oil and season with salt, pepper and sugar. Add shallots and let dressing sit for a minimum of four hours to allow the vanilla flavor to become infused.
Arrange arugula, onions, tomatoes and avocado on a plate. Top with lobster meat and arrange a lobster claw decoratively over all. Drizzle vinaigrette over the lobster and salad. Garnish with fresh chervil flakes.