Stephan Pyles appeared on yesterday’s D: The Broadcast. He demonstrates how to make ceviche of lobster with vanilla-roasted fennel and almond gazpacho. The recipe is below.
CEVICHE OF LOBSTER WITH VANILLA-ROASTED FENNEL
AND ALMOND GAZPACHO
Serves 4
Prepare the gazpacho and chill before making the ceviche.
For the Almond Gazpacho:
8 ounces blanched almonds
1 garlic clove
4 cups mineral or filtered water
2 ounces white bread, crust removed, and diced
½ cup extra virgin olive oil (preferably Spanish), plus more for drizzling
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
Place the almonds and garlic in a saucepan with one cup of the water. Bring to a boil then drain. Pour a fresh cup of water into the pan with the almonds and garlic and bring back to a boil. Drain again.
Place the garlic and almonds in a blender and add the remaining 2 cups of mineral water, the bread, 1/2 cup of the olive oil, the vinegar and the salt. Blend until smooth, about one minute.
Strain the ingredients from the blender through a fine chinois, pressing out as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids and pour the liquids into a bowl or a pitcher. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
For the Lobster Ceviche:
2 cups orange juice
½ vanilla bean
1 fennel bulb
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt to taste
4 1 # lobsters, steamed medium rare and shells removed
4 teaspoons key lime juice
salt to taste (about 2 teaspoons)
8 seedless green grapes, peeled and halved
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place the orange juice in a small saucepan and scrape in the vanilla bean pulp. Reduce over medium heat by half.
Cut the fennel bulb into quarters and place in a small roasting pan and pour the orange-vanilla mixture over the fennel. Drizzle the olive oil over the fennel and season with salt. Roast in the oven until the fennel is soft, 20-25 minutes. Remove the fennel and cool. Remove the core from the fennel and cut the fennel into small dice.
To make the ceviche, chop the lobster into 1/8 inch pieces. Place in a bowl and stir in the lime juice. Combine thoroughly and let the ceviche marinate for 5-7 minutes, then add 4 tablespoons of the chopped vanilla-roasted fennel.
To serve, divide the ceviche between 4 shallow bowls and ladle about a half cup of the gazpacho around the ceviche. Drizzle with a little olive oil and garnish each bowl with 4 grape halves.
