Saveur

View Gallery Photo: Andre Baranowski

SERVES 4

The recipe for this salad is from chef Jeremy Marshall of Aquagrill in New York City.

1 beet, peeled, trimmed and cut into 1⁄2" cubes
1/2 cup plus 1 tsp. canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4  1-lb. lobsters
2 tbsp. champagne
2 tbsp. champagne vinegar
3⁄4 tsp. dijon mustard
1⁄2 tsp. finely chopped shallots
6 cups mesclun greens
Grapefruit segments
3-4 ripe avocados, such as hass, pinkerton, or macarthur

1. Heat oven to 350°. Toss beets with 1 tsp. of the oil; season with salt and pepper to taste. Wrap in a foil package. Roast until tender, about 45 minutes. Chill beets.

2. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil over high heat. Add lobsters and cook until bright red and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain and cool lobsters, then twist off each tail, gently crack the shell, and remove the meat in one large piece; chill. Repeat process with claws. (Reserve knuckle meat and remaining lobster for another use.)

3. Whisk together champagne, champagne vinegar, dijon mustard, shallots, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl. While whisking constantly, drizzle in remaining 1⁄2 cup of oil to form a smooth dressing. Toss greens with some of the dressing; arrange in center of 4 plates. Arrange chilled beets, some grapefruit segments, and 12 avocado slices around each portion of greens. Divide lobster tails and claws between plates. Drizzle each salad with remaining dressing.

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #104