Week #40

Lobster and Watercress Salad with Watercress Dressing.

Lobster.

1 live lobster (about 12 ounces)
1 large bunch watercress
2 teaspoons black sesame seeds
1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into fine strips, for garnish

Watercress Dressing

1 bunch of watercress
6 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
5 tablespoons grape-seed oil
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions.

Put the lobster in the freezer for about 20 minutes, so it goes into a deep sleep and won't be aware of the next stage.

Bring a saucepan of salted water large enough to cover the lobster to a boil. Plunge the lobster headfirst into the water, bring back to a boil, and simmer for 6 minutes. Remove the lobster and plunge it into a bowl of ice water to cool.

Remove the tail and claws from the body and crack the shell from the meat. Cut the meat into bite-size slices.

To make the salad, remove the thicker stems (which should be saved for the dressing) from the watercress, then roughly chop and place in a mixing bowl.

To make the dressing, pick all the leaves and smaller stems from the watercress and combine all the larger stems together with the reserved stems from the other bunch. Blanch the large stems in boiling salted water for 30 seconds, then refresh in ice water. Drain and chop together with the leaves and smaller stems. Add all the remaining dressing ingredients to a blender and blend together, adding the chopped blanched stems and leaves a little at a time until smooth.

Add a small amount of dressing to the watercress in the mixing bowl, sprinkle with a little of the black sesame seeds, and mix gently.

Place the salad to one side of the middle of a serving dish and spoon the remaining dressing around the edge, then arrange the lobster pieces to the side of the salad.

Garnish the salad with the slices of yellow pepper and sprinkle everything with more black sesame seeds.

Note: The dressing should be made and used at the last minute, as the vinegar quickly turns the watercress brown.

Serves: 4 to 6

Sounds like a light but tasty dish.