Lobster and White Bean Spoons for Your Valentine

These decadent (but super-quick) little bites can nevertheless lay claim to a certain rusticity. Beans will do that.

Can you think of a tastier way to express your love? This is from the “Last Minute and Simple” chapter in my book The Relaxed Kitchen; How to Entertain with Casual Elegance and never Lose Your Mind, Incinerate the Souffle, or Murder the Guests.

Yield: 12 small spoons; Ideally use Japanese wooden tea-serving spoons, or Chinese porcelain soup spoons

Mise-en-Place: If desired, make the truffle-dressed lobster mixture up to 2 hours ahead. Cover, refrigerate, and then bring to room temperature for 20 minutes before serving.

Serving Suggestion: For a visual extravaganza, nestle the filled spoons on a bed of crushed ice.

Fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 1/2 teaspoons champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons white truffle oil

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Half a small shallot, minced

6 ounces cooked lobster or crayfish, cut into small dice

Half of a (15.5-ounce) can small white beans, preferably Goya brand, well rinsed and well drained

1 tablespoon finely snipped chives

In a mixing bowl, combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few grinds of pepper, mustard, vinegar, truffle oil, and olive oil; whisk together until smooth. Add the shallot, lobster, white beans, and chives and fold together well. Taste for seasoning and mound into twelve Chinese porcelain soup spoons, or any similar-sized spoons. Place on a nice platter, for serving.

Photo credit: Christina Schmidhofer Photography

Four Tidbits For The Week of February 4, 2024

Brigit’s What I’m

DOING NOW ➡️ Evaluating the (slight) rain damage....
CURRENTLY LOVING ➡️ The Garden of Evening Mists, by Tan Twan Eng
THINKING ABOUT ➡️ Rottenkid launch is one month from today!
LISTENING TO ➡️ Joni Mitchell! Tracy Chapman!