Lobster With Corn, Tomatoes, Green Beans and Citrus Vinaigrette

To make the vinaigrette:
In a small bowl whisk together the lime zest, orange zest, lime juice, orange juice, lemon juice, shallot, red pepper flakes, and mustard. Add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste. (The vinaigrette can be made up to 2 days ahead; store, covered, in the refrigerator.)

To parcook the lobsters:
Bring a pot of water large enough to submerge the 4 lobsters to a boil. Add the lobsters and the salt to the pot. Cover and bring the water back to a boil. Boil the lobsters for 5 minutes. (You are not trying to cook the lobsters completely.) Remove the lobsters from the water and let them cool. Twist off the claws from the bodies and remove the claw meat. Cut the lobsters in half lengthwise. Remove the intestinal tract and tomalley, but keep the coral intact if present.

To cook the vegetables:
While the lobsters cook and cool, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the beans and cook them until they are just tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Lift the beans out of the water and refresh them under cold running water to stop the cooking and preserve their vivid green color. Shake off any excess water and reserve them in a large bowl.

Next add the corn to the boiling water and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Remove the corn from the water and refresh under cold running water. Shake off any excess water and cut the corn kernels from the cob. Add the corn to the bowl with the beans. Add the scallions, tomatoes, basil, and lettuces to the bowl with the beans and corn.

To finish the dish:
Heat the vegetable oil in one or two large sauté pans over medium-high heat until very hot. (See Note Below.) Pat the lobster halves dry with paper towel, season them with a little salt and pepper, and place them in the pan, meat side down. Watch out for any splattering from the moisture in the lobsters. Add the butter and cook over high heat until the lobsters brown slightly and the meat is heated through, about 5 minutes. Turn the lobsters over and add the claw meat to the pan. Continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Reserve in a warm place while finishing the salad.

Toss the beans, corn, scallions, tomatoes, basil, and greens with just enough of the citrus vinaigrette to coat the vegetables and the greens lightly; you will have at least 1/4 cup remaining. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.

Put two lobster halves on each plate, meat side up, with their bodies aligned. Divide the claw meat among the four plates, placing it on any "white" space on the plate. Divide the salad among the four plates, filling the cavity of each lobster and letting the remaining vegetables spill out onto the plate. Place the parsley springs around the lobster. Drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette and serve.

Note: If your pan or pans can't hold all of the lobster at once, sear the lobster in batches. Place the seared lobster halves on a baking sheet and drizzle with a little olive oil. Just before serving, reheat them briefly in a hot oven.

Wine suggestion: I do like a California Chardonnay with this because it seems like such a summer wine. But you might want to also consider another quintessential summer wine, which is a good rosé from Provence. A dry Tavel rosé from the Rhône or a grand cru Chablis are other good choices.

Reprinted with permission from Broadway Books. Copyright 2003 by Gordon Hamersley.