This appetizer is originally made to serve with a DeuS Apéritif cocktail. DeuS is a unique Belgian beer that has gone trough the Champagne brewing techniques of “remuage” and “dégorgement”. The cocktail, mixing beer with grapefruit, bergamot and coriander has a strong citrus flavour.
This appetizer plays on the citrus side of the DeuS cocktail. It’s the fennel, used here as a crême and as a garnish, who shares similar citrus aromas. Lobster is chosen here, because it matches the fresh green notes of DeuS. Presented on a toast, supporting the roasted character of the beer, and garnished with fruity grapes, this is the perfect matching appetizer.
Ingredients (4 persons)
- 1 complete bulb of fennel
- olive oil
- 120 g water
- 60 g rice wine vinegar
- 40 g sugar
- 5 g salt
- 1 lobster
- 4 grapes
- 4 slices of toast
- lemon
Preparations
Fennel Crême
In this recipe we will use all different parts of the fennel. Start by cleaning the fennel, but keep the stalks and the herbs. We will use both of them to garnish our dish. Cut the fennel into pieces and cook it in salted water until soft. Mix into a smooth puree. Add some olive oil while mixing. Season to taste.
Fennel Pickled
Cut the remaining fennel stalks into fine slices. Mix the water, rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt and heat up until sugar and salt are dissolved. We’ll use this mixture to pickle our fennel. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Lobster
Cook the lobster for 2 minutes in boiling water. Remove the lobster meat and cut it into thin slices. Sprinkle with some olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Spread some fennel cream on the grilled bread slices. Arrange the lobster on top. Grate some fresh lemon zest on the lobster.
Garnish with marinated fennel, fennel herbs and small pieces of grape. Finish with some other fresh herbs and flowers to give extra colour.
This appetizer is created to match the DeuS beer and DeuS beer Apéritif cocktail.
DeuS beer cocktail
