Platelist Chef Ken Oringer Shares Recipes for Lobster Paella and Heirloom Carrot Salad

April 20, 2011— -- After traveling the world, executive chef Ken Oringer settled in Boston where he opened his restaurant Clio. While his menu is primarily French-influenced, his flavorful dishes feature plenty of ethnic ingredients.

Here are his recipes for lobster and black truffle paella and salad of hay roasted heirloom carrots.

Lobster and Black Truffle Paella

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sliced Spanish onions

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoon soffrit

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3 tablespoons diced red bell pepper

1 tablespoon sliced scallions, white and green

Pinch of saffron

1 cup calasparra rice

2 cups lobster stock

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup vegetable stock

4 medium size artichokes, cleaned and diced

Tail and claw meat from 4 precooked lobsters, cut into ½ inch pieces.

¼ cup fresh peas

¼ cup chopped chives

1 whole black truffle

Preparing the Paella:Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small saute pan. Add 1/4 cup of Spanish onions. Cook until softened. Should produce 1/8 of a cup. Set aside.

Heat the paella pan over medium-high heat. Coat the pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir in the soffrit, onions, garlic, red bell pepper and scallions. Add the rice and saffron. Stir until the rice is toasted.

Add all of the stocks and the artichokes. Mix well and stir up the browned bits of the pan. Bring to a boil.

Lower the stove to medium heat. Add the lobster. Cook for 15 minutes. Add the peas and chives. Cook for one minute more.

Remove from heat. Shave the black truffle over the dish and serve.

Salad of Hay Roasted Heirloom Carrots with Argan Oil, Hazelnuts and Yogurt Dressing

Serves 4 people

Ingredients:

8 ounces hay

1 pound mixed heirloom carrots

4 ounces goat butter

3 ounces of Greek Style yogurt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon onion seeds

1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts

1/2 teaspoon sumac

1 tablespoon fried garlic

1 teaspoon diced preserved lemon

12 pieces nasturtium leaves

3 teaspoons Argan oil

1/2 teaspoon grated cinnamon stick

salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 deg F.

Melt the goat butter in a large saute pan. Add carrots. Season the carrots with salt and pepper.

Add the hay on top and ignite with a blow torch. Once it is lit, cover it with a lid and shake the pan. Place in the preheated oven and roast for 10 minutes until carrots are tender. Set aside.

Mix the yogurt and lemon juice in a bowl. Season the yogurt mixture with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Preparing the Salad:

Place the carrots decoratively on a plate. Place onion seeds, hazelnuts, sumac, fried garlic, preserved lemon and nasturtium leaves on top and around. Grate the cinnamon stick over the dish. Drizzle with Argan oil. Spoon a dollop of yogurt on top. Serve warm.