Lobster Salad with Fennel and Israeli Couscous

This salad showcases the crunchy, slightly licorice flavor of fennel, which pairs so well with the creaminess of the lobster salad. If you don’t have lobster, shrimp are a great stand in.

Vinaigrette

• 1⁄2 lemon, juiced

• 1 T apple cider vinegar

• 1 shallot, minced

• 5-6 T extra virgin olive oil

• Salt and pepper to taste

Salad

• 1 c Israeli couscous (sometimes called pearl couscous)

• 1 1⁄2 lb lobster meat, cooked and large-diced (about 3 tails)

• Kernels from 2 ears cooked corn

• 2 stalks celery, trimmed and diced

• 1⁄2 c mayonnaise

• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed, quartered and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)

• 4 c arugula, or other greens of your choice

• A handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

• 1 avocado, peeled and diced

• 3 T chopped parsley

Bring 1 1⁄4 c water to boil in a medium saucepan. Add couscous and simmer 8 minutes. Drain, rinse under cool water and set aside.

Mix all vinaigrette ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste for seasoning, adding more salt if necessary. Add 2 tablespoons vinaigrette to the couscous and toss.

Reserve half the vinaigrette for the salad and pour the remaining vinaigrette over the lobster in a large bowl. Add the corn, celery, 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, mayonnaise, 1⁄2 teaspoon salt and some generous grindings of black pepper. Stir gently to combine. Add in the reserved couscous and mix gently.

Arrange the fennel and arugula on a serving platter and season with half the remaining vinaigrette. Mound lobster salad mixture on top. Garnish with tomatoes and avocado, drizzle all with remaining vinaigrette, and garnish with chopped parsley.