Bite with Belkys: Gazpacho Soup & Lobster Salad From Atrio At The Conrad Miami

The Chef: Jonathan McCann
The Restaurant: Atrio (at the Conrad Miami)
The Dish: Chef's Soup & Salad

Ingredients for Gazpacho Soup:

4 cups of pineapple, chopped
3 cups of cucumber, chopped and peeled
1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1 ripe avocado
2 stalks of green onions, chopped
1 cup of pineapple juice
1 Tbs. of yuzu juice
sea salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Serves: 20

Method of Preparation:

-Start by making the soup. In a blender, add fresh pineapple, cucumber, jalapeño pepper, avocado, green onion and pineapple juice. Blend it all together.

-Then, add a pinch of salt and pepper and some yuzu juice. Yuzu is a japanese citrus fruit and you can find the juice of it bottled in the asian aisle of local supermarkets. Chef Jonathan says you can also substitute yuzu juice with the juice of a sour orange or lime.

-To finish, blend it all one more time until it is nice and smooth.

Ingredients for Lobster Salad:

1 1/2 oz. of cooked lobster meat (cook in boiling salted water for about 12 minutes)
1/2 tsp. of dijon mustard
1 tsp. of red wine vinegar
2 tsp. of lime juice
1/8 vanilla bean, scraped
2 Tbs. of extra virgin olive oil
5 shavings of fresh coconut
1/2 oz of palm hearts (blanched in boiling water with a little lemon juice and salt)
1/4 lime, skinned and cut in segments
1/2 cup of mixed salad leaves
1 tsp. of yuzu juice
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste

Serves: 1

Method of Preparation:

-Next, move on to the Chef's Salad. Begin by preparing the vinaigrette. In a bowl, add dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, lime juice, vanilla, extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk it all together.

-Now, move on to the salad. In a bowl, combine cooked lobster with fresh coconut, palm hearts, lime segments and mixed greens. Make sure to season with salt, pepper and a dash of yuzu juice. Finish the lobster salad with a drizzle of the prepared vinaigrette.

To plate:

At the restaurant, they serve the gazpacho in a shooter glass and the lobster salad on the side.

Serving Suggestion: California White Wine

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Note:

Take a printed copy of the recipe to the restaurant and get a complimentary chef's soup and salad; an entree must be ordered as well. (One per person. Valid June 15-June 22, 2012.)

Atrio Restaurant & Wine Room
(Conrad Miami)
1395 Brickell Ave.
Miami, FL 33131
(305) 503-6529
http://conradhotels3.hilton.com/en/hotels/florida/conrad-miami-MIACICI/amenities/restaurants.html