Name: Grilled lobster cocktail salad with pickled shallots
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 8 min
Total time: 33 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 garlic clove, crushed; 2 tsp each smoked paprika and finely chopped thyme; Finely grated zest of 1 lemon; 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil; 8 lobster tails, halved lengthways; 2 baby cos, leaves separated; 2 baby fennel; 2 avocados, cut into wedges; 1 cup (loosely packed) soft herbs (tarragon, chervil and parsley); PICKLED SHALLOTS; 80 ml (⅓ cup) white wine vinegar; 2 tbsp caster sugar; 2 star anise; 3 golden shallots, thinly sliced on a mandolin; MARIE ROSE SAUCE; ⅓ cup each mayonnaise and crème fraîche; 1½ tbsp tomato sauce; 3 tsp each brandy and Worcestershire sauce; 1½ tbsp finely chopped tarragon; 1 tsp Tabasco sauce; Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 1½ tbsp juice

For long summer lunches or festive feasts, this grilled lobster salad brings together sweet lobster, crisp greens and punchy pickled shallots.

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Ingredients

1 garlic clove, crushed

2 tsp each smoked paprika and finely chopped thyme

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil

8 lobster tails, halved lengthways

2 baby cos, leaves separated

2 baby fennel

2 avocados, cut into wedges

1 cup (loosely packed) soft herbs (tarragon, chervil and parsley)

PICKLED SHALLOTS

80 ml (⅓ cup) white wine vinegar

2 tbsp caster sugar

2 star anise

3 golden shallots, thinly sliced on a mandolin

MARIE ROSE SAUCE

⅓ cup each mayonnaise and crème fraîche

1½ tbsp tomato sauce

3 tsp each brandy and Worcestershire sauce

1½ tbsp finely chopped tarragon

1 tsp Tabasco sauce

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 1½ tbsp juice

Method

For pickled shallots, combine vinegar, sugar, star anise and 125ml (½ cup) water in a small saucepan with ½ tsp sea salt flakes. Bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then remove from the heat. Add shallots and set aside to pickle and cool (20 minutes). Drain before serving.

For sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl and season.

Combine garlic, paprika, thyme, lemon zest and olive oil in a small bowl and season to taste.

Heat a barbecue or large char-grill pan to medium-high heat. Brush cut sides of lobster with a little paprika oil and season. Place lobsters cut-side down on the barbecue and grill until shells begin to change colour (3-4 minutes), then turn and brush with a little extra paprika oil. Grill until flesh turns opaque (3-4 minutes).

Thinly shave fennel on a mandolin, then place in iced water with baby cos to crisp (5 minutes). Drain; pat dry with paper towel.

Place lobster tails, cos, fennel and avocado on a large serving platter. Drizzle with dressing and scatter with herbs to serve.

Maxwell Adey Senior Food Editor & Stylist

Maxwell has always been passionate about food. Born into a restaurateur and award-winning produce farming family, he was strongly steered into pursuing a career in advertising after completing his Bachelor of Public Communication at University of Technology, Sydney. After a very short stint, he decided to enrol in Commercial Cookery at TAFE to follow his true passion. Maxwell started out working in some of Sydney’s finest restaurants (Est., Claude’s and Moon Park) which helped further his love of all things culinary and developed his technical ability to cook. Later, he was lured into the magical world of food publishing where he freelanced for ten years for notable Australian commercial and editorial brands. He has also run his own business where he sells his marinated olives, dressings and sauces at food markets and select retailers. He excitingly joins the Gourmet Traveller team to bring his technical and creative expertise in food to the brand.

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