Citrus Dusted Maine Lobster Salad with Olive Oil Poached Artichoke Hearts

Preparation

Baking Directions:

Citrus Dust:Pre-heat oven to 150?.

In a 2 quart saucepot, add sugar and just enough water to cover the sugar.

Dissolve the sugar by simmering over low heat.

Add the orange peel.

Cook 4 -5 minutes until the peel is tender.

Strain well, and place peel on a baking sheet.

Bake the peel on the middle oven rack for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until crisp, but not brown.

Remove from the oven and cool completely.

Grind the peel into a fine powder using a coffee or spice grinder.

Set aside.

Basil Oil:Add the olive oil and basil leaves into a blender and puree.

Transfer to a small sauce pot, and bring to a simmer for one minute.

Strain immediately through a fine strainer.

Refrigerate the basil oil until ready to use.

Lobster and Artichoke:In a large pot of seasoned boiling water, boil the lobster arm and claws for 2 minutes.

Then, add the lobster tail and boil for 3 more minutes.

Immediately remove the tail, arm and claws from the boiling water and immerse in an ice bath.

Remove the meat from the arm, claws and tail in whole pieces.

Cut the lobster tail meat in half.

Take each artichoke, and pull all the leaves away from the core.

  With a paring knife, carefully cut around the artichoke heart.

Remove all its green.

  Spoon out the fibrous pulp and discard.

  Quarter the remaining heart lengthwise.

  Add 1 ½ cups of extra virgin olive oil and lemon to a 2-quart sauce pan and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil.

Then, reduce heat and simmer for 3 – 5 minutes.

Remove from flame, and let artichokes cool in flavored olive oil.

On the red flesh side only, dust the six lobster pieces with the citrus dust.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Coat a medium sauté pan with 1 ½ tablespoons of olive oil and heat to medium-high.

Cook all the lobster pieces, dusted side down, in the sauté pan for approximately 1 minute.

  Flip all pieces over, and turn off heat.

Let lobster rest on the warmed sauté pan for one minute.

Set lobster aside on paper towels.

  In a small sauce pan add 1 ½ tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, rice wine vinegar and remaining orange powder.

  Warm gently over medium-low heat until orange dust is well incorporated and thickens slightly.

  Remove from heat.

  Finishing the dish:Take lobster tails and cut each tail piece in half again.

  Arrange lobster pieces and artichoke quarters on the plate.

  Spoon the orange and olive oil sauce over each lobster piece and spoon the basil oil around the plate.

  Garnish each artichoke piece with a sprig of micro-green Thai basil.