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Napoleon of grapes, lobster and avocado with green grape creme

The Culinary Institute of America · 8 min video

Read about avocados in the BrightCulinary Book

Timestamp
Ingredients
Method
Techniques
  • cooked lobster
Boil the lobster about 15 minutes; pick the meat and chop it, or shred by hand.
  • red grapes
  • black grapes
  • 1 whole avocado
Halve the red grapes; quarter the black grapes.
Cut the avocado in half across the equator, twist open, remove the pit with the knife, and scoop out each half with a spoon.
Choosing and pitting an avocado
Dice the avocado small, about a quarter inch. Do not do this far in advance or it will discolor.
  • lime juice
  • minced chives
  • extra virgin olive oil
Toss the avocado gently with lime juice, minced chives, a little olive oil and a touch of salt; set aside.
  • salt
  • sea salt
  • Aleppo chili pepper
Mix the lobster meat with a little sea salt and a touch of Aleppo chili pepper; set aside.
  • whole California green grapes
  • creme fraiche
  • minced cilantro stem
  • minced jalapeno
Blend the green grapes, creme fraiche, minced cilantro stem and seeded minced jalapeno until very smooth.
  • honey
  • lime zest
  • salt
  • frisee
Strain to remove bits of jalapeno skin; whisk in a little honey, lime zest and a pinch of salt; chill thoroughly to set.
Splay the frisee root side up and cut away the dark green leaves, which are too bitter; cut up the pale center and wash well.
Trimming the frisee
  • whole cilantro leaves
  • salt
  • lime juice
  • extra virgin olive oil
Add whole cilantro leaves, season with a little salt, lime juice and olive oil; toss gently.
Set a two-inch ring mold on the plate; pack in lobster meat, then black grapes so skin and flesh show, then avocado pressed in to compact the layers.
Building the Napoleon in a ring mold
Shingle the red grapes around the edge on top; press gently and lift off the mold.
Shingling the grapes and unmolding
  • flake sea salt
Sprinkle with flake sea salt; serve with the green grape creme and the frisee salad.