Watermelon Crab Salad with Jalapeño, Cherry Tomatoes, Mache, Mint, and Lime Vinaigrette

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Prep Time:  20 mins    Cook Time:  0 mins    Serves:  2

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Summer has come on strong, making the idea of turning on the oven and making the kitchen even hotter very unappealing.  This crab salad will keep you and the kitchen cool on a warm evening.  Use lump crab meat here, or anytime you use crab really.  Claw meat isn’t as tender and has a much stronger flavor that most find unpleasant.  

Jalapeño is low on the list of the world’s hottest peppers, but it can still be too spicy for some.  To help with this, wear gloves and then remove the seeds and veins.  Capsaicin, the active ingredient in peppers that gives them their heat, is mostly contained in the seeds and veins.  Make sure you wear gloves for this though, as capsaicin can remain on your hands even after a thorough washing and any contact with your face will burn quite a bit.  

Mache greens are a small tender green available at most farm markets.  They are soft in texture with a nutty flavor and beautiful dark green color.  They usually come with the root bundle still attached and a lot comes in a package. If you have a few extra plant pots hanging around, plant whatever you don’t use to come back to later.  They do well in mixed sun and loose rich soil.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup lump crab meat
• 2 cups watermelon; cut into 1” cubes
• ½ cucumber; sliced into wide strips on a mandolin
• 1 cup yellow cherry tomatoes; halved
• 1 jalapeño; veined, seeded, and sliced on a mandolin
• 1 cup mache greens
• ⅓ cup mint leaves
• ⅓ cup basil leaves
• ¼ cup lime zest
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Add lime juice to a blender and slowly drizzle in olive oil with the motor running. Season with salt and pepper to taste then set aside.

Toss mache greens, basil, and mint lightly in lime dressing.  Plate your watermelon, tomatoes, and cucumber before adding your dressed greens.  Lightly dress the crab meat and plate amongst the rest of your salad.  Garnish with shaved jalapeño and lime zest then season lightly with salt and pepper.

New England Surf & Turf: Filet Medallion, Sweet Corn Succotash, & Lobster Tail with Cherry Tomatoes

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Prep Time: 45 min    Cook Time:    20 min    Serves:  2

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The sweetness of the lobster tail and cherry tomatoes compliments and balances the savory intensity of a perfectly grilled steak.  To ensure a good sear and crust on the steak, season liberally with salt and pepper and let it sit at room temperature for a half hour before grilling.  Depending of your desired temperature (I would suggest a medium-rare or medium, any additional cooking will degrade the texture of the steak, which is really what you're paying for in a filet),  set your grill to high or medium-high and baste the steak with melted butter.  This will cause the grill to flare and make a bit of a mess, but the quality of the sear you get from this technique is second to none.  Pull the steak off the heat 10-8 degrees before it reaches desired temperature and let it rest for 10 mins before eating.  

Lobster is cooked quickly to avoid a rubbery texture.  Saute over medium-high heat in butter with  the cherry tomatoes.  Add white wine and lemon juice to heighten flavor, finish with fresh herbs/ For the vegetables as well, hot and fast is the preferred cooking method.  Heat vegetable oil in a saute pan over high heat and add all the vegetables at once.  Once they begin to pick up color, add some vegetable stock to the pan and toss in a small pat of butter. The evaporating stock and butter should emulsify with a couple quick tosses of the pan. Finish with fresh chopped parsley.  

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INGREDIENTS:

Succotash

• 1 ear yellow sweet corn, cut off the cob
• 6 large asparagus spears, cut into 1/8 in pieces
• 1 large red bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 shallot, finely diced
• 1/4 vegetable stock
• 1 tbs butter
• 2 oz fresh chopped parsley
• salt and pepper to taste

Lobster

• 2 lobster tails, removed from shells and chopped
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 shallot, finely diced
• 3 tbs butter
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 tbs fresh lemon juice
• 1 oz fresh chopped tarragon
• 1/2 oz fresh chopped parsley
• 1/2 oz fresh chopped chives
• 1/2 oz fresh chopped basil
• 1/2 oz fresh chopped English thyme

Steak

• 3 tbs butter, melted
• liberal salt and pepper

PREPARATION:

Preheat grill. Remove steak from fridge and season liberally on both sides with salt and pepper.  Allow the steak to sit out at room temperature as you prepare the rest of your ingredients.  Prepare the vegetables for the succotash. Make sure all cuts are consistent to  ensure even cooking.  Set aside.

Remove lobster meal from shells by piercing the underside of the tail with the tip of your knife and bisecting the tail lengthwise.  Remove meat and chop. Set aside.  Quarter cherry tomatoes then dice the shallot finely, setting both aside once done.

Once the ingredients for the succotash and lobster have been prepared, melt the butter for the steak.  Baste the steak and place on the grill, being mindful of any flares that jump up.  Cook 4-5 mins on each side for med-rare, adding an additional minute for medium, 2-3 for med-well, basting the other side before flipping over.  Remove the steak 8-10 degrees before desired temperature is reached to ensure it doesn't overcook (120 for medium rare, 130 for medium, 140 for med well, 150 for well done). Let the steak rest while you finish the veg and lobster.  

Heat 2 tbs vegetable oil in a large saute pan over med high heat.  Add the garlic and shallots, stirring often,and then add the corn, peppers, and asparagus.  Once the vegetables have begun to pick up some color (1-2 min) add the stock and butter, tossing as the stock evaporates to help the butter emulsify and form a light sauce.  Season and add fresh herbs. 

Plate the succotash in the middle of the plate and set steak on top.  Reserve pan used for vegetable to finish the lobster.  Return pan  to med high head and add 3 tbs butter.  Once butter is melted, add the shallots, cooking for 1-2 mins until tender.  Next, add the tomatoes and lobster, stirring frequently.  Add the wine, butter, and herbs, stirring until  the wine evaporates and creates a slightly thickened sauce. Finish with lemon juice and pinch of salt. Serve over steak