GRILLED VEAL LOIN AND SMOKED LOBSTER
with Mango Compote
The subtle flavor of veal acts as a bridge between the sweet/hot mango-chile compote and the rich/smoky lobster in this light and visually attractive dish. Another nice feature is that you can smoke the lobster a day in advance.
Serves 4
1 pound boneless loin of veal, trimmed of '/2 cup olive oil
most fat and all of the silverskin 2 teaspoons salt
Four 10-ounce lobster tails, shelled and 2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
deveined (weight is for meat only) 2 tablespoons thyme leaves
SAUCE
3 tablespoons butter 1 cup white wine
1 poblano chile, diced fine, stem and 6 tablespoons white wine vinegar
seeds discarded % cup Spanish vinegar (see Note)
1 red onion, diced fine 3 cups chopped ripe mango flesh, in
V2 cup cilantro leaves medium-sized, even pieces
1. Put the veal in one bowl and the lobster tails in another. Top each with equal amounts of olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme leaves. Allow to marinate 4 or 5 hours.
2. Fire up a smoker. (You could omit smoking the lobster and grill both the lobster and the veal for a slightly different version of this dish.) When the smoker is ready, remove the lobster tails from the marinade and slowly smoke them until almost cooked through. Remove and set aside. (This can be done a day in advance.)
3. Make the sauce: Heat a medium-sized saute pan on medium heat and add the butter. Add the poblano chile and diced red onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until they just begin to color. Chop the cilantro leaves roughly and stir them into the vegetables.
4. Add the white wine and white wine vinegar and reduce to a glaze. Add the Spanish vinegar and mango pieces and stir. Do not allow to cook. You are just heating the mango slightly. (You don't want to ruin the mango's soft texture by overcooking or overheating.) The sauce is ready to serve.
5. Fire up the grill.
1. (recipe continues)
6. Remove the veal from the marinade and grill it evenly all over. When it is about three-quarters cooked, place the smoked lobster tails on the grill. Complete grilling the veal and lobster, then remove to a cutting board.
7. Spoon the mango compote evenly on four warm plates. SUce the veal and lobster into even pieces and arrange them alternately over the compote. Serve with nests of pasta tossed in Herb Butter (page 236).
Note: I like to heat a quart of Spanish vinegar and add 8 to 10 chipotle chiles to the vinegar. When chiles are quite warm, I pour the liquid through a funnel back into the original vinegar bottle and store for uses such as this. I would use the chipotle-infused vinegar here instead of Spanish vinegar alone, because chipotles are dried-smoked jalapenos, and their smoky character reiterates the flavor of the smoke in the lobster. (See pages 221-22 for a broader discussion of this idea.)
1. This rich, luxurious dish demands a very special wine. I would choose the best White Burgundy or full-bodied California Chardonnay your budget will allow.