Lobster Salad with Spiced Pink Grapefruit, Peppers, Fennel and Quinoa

• 1 whole pink grapefruit
• 50 g rice wine vinegar
• 35 g white sugar
• 1 star anise
• 1 stick of cinnamon
• 2 g Bresc red pepper purée
• 10 g fresh ginger, grated
• olive oil
• salt, to taste
• 100 g cañihua (also red quinoa)
• 200 g vegetable broth
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 whole lobster, cooked
• ½ fennel bulb, julienned
• watercress
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt, to taste
• freshly ground pepper, to taste

In this Lebanese-inspired dish, pink grapefruit segments are marinated in a light syrup flavoured with red pepper purée, warm spices and ginger before doubling as the vinaigrette used in this lobster salad.

Red pepper purée shares the same spicy clove notes as the cinnamon used in the syrup, along with some violet-scented aromas that also link it to ginger. This purée also has a fruity aromatic link to grapefruit, which provides its own direct citrusy ties to star anise.

Spiced Pink Grapefruit - preparation:

• Peel the grapefruit with a knife and separate each of the segments using a paring knife. Discard the membranes.
• Combine all of the remaining ingredients in a saucepan and bring to boil.
• Discard the star anise and cinnamon.
• Pour the syrup over the grapefruit wedges and let cool. Set aside.

Peruvian Cañihua (Quinoa) - preparation:

• Rinse the cañihua in a sieve and drain. Toast the cañihua in a medium-size pot. Add the vegetable broth, stir and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to medium and cook for 12–15 minutes. Drain any leftover broth and add a dash of olive oil.
• Season with salt, to taste.

Lobster with Spiced Pink Grapefruit, Peppers and Fennel - preparation:

• Combine the fennel, grapefruit and watercress together in a bowl, and season with olive oil, salt and pepper, to taste.
• In a separate bowl, season the lobster with a dash of olive oil, salt and fresh pepper.
• Add a dash of olive oil to the marinated grapefruit segments and season with salt to taste.

Source: Foodpairing