Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

Smoked Lobster:
• 3 1-pound lobsters
  
• Apple wood chips, for smoking
  
  Fennel Puree:
  
• 2 bulbs fennel, white parts only, diced
  
• 1 leek, diced
  
• ½ cup shallots, minced
  
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  
• 2 Tablespoons browned butter
  
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  Ramp Sauce:
  
• 1 cup sliced ramp whites
  
• 1 quart vegetable stock
  
• 1/3 cup onion puree
  
• 1 Tablespoon julienned ramp greens
  
• 1/3 cup lemon vinaigrette
  
• 2 Tablespoons ramp pickling liquid
  
• 2 Tablespoons chopped mixed herbs, like chives, parsley, tarragon, dill
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper  
  

Method:

For the Smoked Lobster:
Separate claws and tails; then cook lobster in boiling salted water: tails for 5 minutes, claws for 7 minutes. Shell both claws and tails, splitting tail in half lengthwise. Smoke lobster, using apple wood chips, for 7 minutes over low heat.

For the Fennel Puree:
Sweat fennel, leek, and shallots in olive oil until tender. Place all ingredients in a blender and purée with brown butter. Season to taste; set aside.

For the Ramp Sauce:
Sweat ramp whites. Add vegetable stock and simmer. Add onion puree to thicken. Finish with ramp greens, lemon vinaigrette, ramp pickling liquid and herbs.

To Assemble and Serve:
Spoon fennel purée on bottom of plate; carefully ring fennel purée with ramp sauce; place lobster on top of fennel purée. Serve immediately.

Wine Pairing:
2005 Cataldi Madonna, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, Italy

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