Sweet Potato-wrapped Spiny Lobster Tail with Avocado and Green Papaya Roti Taco and Beetroot Syrup
This recipe makes good use of the Asian spiral slicers which are turning out long spiral garnishes at restaurants everywhere. While a spiral slicer will make a pretty wrap, you can create long thin slices on a regular slicer or grater and get the same flavor for this dish. The pretty potato-wrapped lobster medallions stud a salad of avocado and green papaya held in attractive cups. If you can’t find triangular molds, take a trip to the hardware store for some lengths of right-angle aluminum, then wrap it in aluminum foil to make a mold.
Ingredients
- Beet Syrup
- Beet Juice - 1/2 cup
- Honey - 1 tablespoon
- Sweet Potato-wrapped Lobster Tails
- Parsley Sprigs - 1
- Chervil Sprig - 1
- Cilantro Sprigs - 1
- Spiny Lobster Tails - 4 6-ounce
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Sweet potatoes - 2, peeled
- Vegetable oil for deep frying
- Plantain - 1, peeled
- Avocado and Green Papaya Salad
- Avocado - 1, peeled and sliced
- Jicama - 1 medium, peeled and julienned
- Green Papaya - 1/2 medium, peeled, seeded, and julienned
- Rice Wine Vinegar - 2 tablespoons
- Juice of 2 limes
- Sweet Chili Sauce - 2 tablespoons
- Fresh Ginger - chopped, chopped
- Roti Shells (flour tortillas) - 4
Instructions
To make the syrup: Cook the beet juice and honey together in a saucepan over medium-low heat until reduced by one fourth, to the consistency of maple syrup. Remove, cool, and place in a squeeze bottle.
To make the lobster: Pull the leaves from the herbs and mince them together. Peel the shells from the lobster tails, leaving the tail fins attached: Cut the shells down either side of the tail, peel back, and cut off at the tail fins. Roll the lobster in the herbs. Season with salt and pepper. Place 2 skewers through each tail to hold it straight during cooking. On a spiral vegetable slicer, make strings of the sweet potato and wrap these in a single layer around the lobster tails. Wrap the prepared tails in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Heat the oil to 375 F in a deep fryer or skillet. Remove the plastic and fry the tails for 8 - 9 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towels. Slice the plantain into very thin chips and deep fry in the same oil until golden brown, about 30 seconds; remove and drain on paper towels.
To make the salad: Toss all ingredients together until the vegetables are coated.
To make the roti (taco) shells: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place triangular molds on a baking sheet. Lay the tortillas over triangular molds and bake for 5 minutes, until crisp. Remove and let cool.
To serve: Place one shell on each plate and fill with the salad. Remove the skewers and slice the lobster tails into medallions. Place over the salad greens. Garnish with plantain chips and drizzle the plate with beet syrup.
