Lobster Salad with Winter Citrus and Fennel

SERVES 4

This recipe is inspired by a dish I enjoyed years ago at Lulu Rousseau’s wonderful Parisian bistro, L’Assiette. Lulu was a master at cooking simple food perfectly, something I deeply admire and preach to my staff regularly! The whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts here—just a few simple but pristine ingredients combine to make an elegant and delicious dish. I especially like to make this in the winter, with beautiful winter citrus that complements the sweetness of the lobster.

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3 citrus fruits (blood orange or Cara Cara oranges, if available)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Meat from 2½-pound cooked lobster (or ¾ pound picked lobster meat)

1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh tarragon

2 teaspoons chopped dehydrated olives (see Note)

1 teaspoon plus 1 tablespoon crème fraîche

Sea salt

Pepper

2 radishes, thinly sliced

Remove the peel and pith from the citrus fruits. Segment the peeled fruit over a bowl; reserve the juice as well as the citrus segments.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the picked lobster meat to the melted butter just to warm through.

Place the fennel in a large bowl, add the reserved citrus juice, citrus segments, tarragon (reserve a few pieces for garnish), dehydrated olive pieces, and 1 teaspoon of the crème fraîche. Mix well to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spread 1 tablespoon of crème fraîche on the bottom of the serving plate. Spoon the fennel mixture on the plate, then top with the warmed lobster. Garnish with sliced radishes and the reserved tarragon, and sprinkle with sea salt.

Note: I dehydrate Taggiasca olives at home and store them in an airtight container in the pantry. To make them, spread olives evenly on a baking sheet and bake in a 150ºF oven for 1 hour, or until they’ve lost their moisture. They’re pretty shelf-stable when dried, and can last for a few years. If you don’t have time to make dehydrated olives, you can substitute marinated Taggiasca olives.