Ruby Red Grapefruit with Seared Prawns
(Serves 4)

CHEF'S NOTE: What I love about this recipe is how easily you can change or adapt the ingredients to fit what is locally available and in season. For example, halibut, tiny pre-cooked shrimp, salmon, scallops, even pan-seared chicken or turkey are great substitutes for prawns. The persimmon, pomegranate and grapefruit add color without being sour.

The most elaborate version of this recipe was at a birthday dinner, however. I served this salad with roasted lobster using the dressing as the dipping sauce instead of the usual drawn butter for the lobster. Low calories and healthier food never tasted so good, even for a celebration!

INGREDIENTS:
2-3 Ruby Red Grapefruit
1 Avocado
1 Fennel (about a cup, sliced and save the tops)
½ English Cucumber (pick the thinest)
1 Radicchio (or gourmet mix of baby letuces found at most groceries)
8 Baby Potatoes (I like Yellow Finns)
1 Fuyu Persimmon (the round, apple-like persimmon)
4 TBS Fresh Pomegranate Seeds
2 Sprigs of terragon
12 Prawns (peeled and de-veined)

VINAIGRETTE:
2 TBS Red Wine Vinegar
2 tsp Sea Star Grey Sea Salt
2 Cloves Freshly Peeled Garlic (not the pre-peeled from a jar)
2 TBS Great Olive Oil
1 tsp Flax Seed Oil

TO PREPARE:
Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until very tender. While the potatoes are cooling, make the vinaigrette. Whisk the ingredients together in the order listed. When the potatoes are done, quarter them and put them directly into the vinaigrette while they are hot. This adds a wonderful infusion of flavor.

Next, work on the salad. With a vegetable peeler, remove a few strips of the grapefruit peel and slice crosswise into very thin strips (chiffonade) or, if you prefer, use a citrus zester. You need about 2-3 tablespoons of zest. Segment the grapefruit and put in a strainer over a bowl. This will allow you to use the juice easily when you sear the prawns. Thinly slice the fennel and cucumber. You may also shave these on a mandolin or grater if you like. Peel and cube the avocado and the persimmon. Peel seeds from the pomegranate. Pluck individual terragon leaves from the stem. Tear the radicchio into medium size pieces. Chef's Tip: for crisper lettuces and herbs, refresh them by placing them in a bowl of water and ice cubes for about ten minutes.

TO FINISH:
In a hot saute pan, sear the prawns in a wisp of olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper. Cook about a minute or two on each side and at the finish add the grapefruit zest and the juice saved from the grapefruit (don't press the segments, just use what runs out freely). Toss all the ingredients together and season one last time to taste.

CHEF'S NOTE:
The best wine to serve with this is a dry rose or a Champagne rose. A few Champagne producers make one with the color 'Oeil de Perdrix' (in English, 'Eye of a Partridge') which is a pale apricot pink. That same color is captured very well by my father's wonderful 'English-Californian' Wrotham Pinot Sparkling Wine. It is made from an antique clone of Pinot Noir found growing wild in Kent, England, undoubtedly left over from early Roman vineyards. That sparkling wine goes very well with this light spring salad!

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SPICED SALMON WANDS
(Serves 6)

Here is a completely simple Hors D’Oeuvre that is elegant, and wildly delicious with Richard Grant Sparkling Wine.

18 Fine, thin, breadsticks (you may buy them, or make you own)
6-8 Slices Gravlax
Fresh Dill
One beautiful fresh rose

Homemade Breadsticks:
¼ lb Pizza dough
½ tsp Fleur de Sel
½ tsp cumin seed
Roll very thin, sprinkle with the fleur de sel and cumin seed, then bake in a 425 degree oven until golden brown. Let cool completely.

Slice each piece of salmon Gravlax into long 2” strips. Coil each strip around a breadstick starting at the top and scroll down. Tuck a small tuft of dill in the top of each. Arrange on a serving platter with a gorgeous rose in full bloom. Pluck two or three petals and finely slice into ribbons. Sprinkle these over the wands. Enjoy!

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RIVER TROUT WITH PINK LENTILS
(Serves 6)

This is a delicate yet flavorful first course, or fish course if you cut the portion in half. As is, it is full course size, and an excellent luncheon dish as this is meant to be served cold. I love the delilcacy of this fine sparkling wine with it because one sip invites a taste of the food, and visa versa. Enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:
3 Trout
½ Sweet Red Onion
1 large cucumber
¼ cup Olive oil
3 cups Pink lentils (Crimson lentils are fine)
4 Tbs Rice wine vinegar
3-4 cloves garlic
4 Tbs Red wine vinegar
1 bunch basil
3 cups vegetable broth
½ cup Fresh Cranberries
2 cups water
1 bunch fresh lemon thyme
1 tsp Sea Star Fleur de Sel

TO PREPARE:
Use the freshest trout possible. Filet and bone the fish, place skin down on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with lemon thyme leaves. Bake slowly in 250 F oven until just done and chill.

Thinly slice cucumber. Finely chop the red onion. Cook the lentils in vegetable broth and water. Add the rest of the lemon thyme and cranberries to the lentils and cook gently until tender. When cooked, strain, then spread lentils out on a cookie sheet to cool slightly. Toss lentils with olive oil, vinegars, sea salt, chopped garlic, basil leaves, purple onion and cucumber. Add more olive oil or vinegar to taste and check seasoning, by tasting it with the wine to make sure they are just right together.

TO SERVE:
Place some lentil salad on plates and top with a filet of trout. Drizzle with basil olive oil and sprinkle with Fleur de Sel.

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WROTHAM PINOT LOBSTER WITH ROSE PETAL PASTA
(Serves 6)

If you could cook only one recipe with Sparkling wine, let this be the one!

INGREDIENTS:
3 Lobsters (about 1.5 pounds each)
2 Cups Lobster broth (well reduced and flavorful)
Court Bouillon: 3 carrots, 1 onion, 2 stalks celery, 1 leek, fresh thyme, fresh parsley
2 TB Organic Butter
½ cup organic whipping cream
1 Organic Rose (dark pink or fushia)
1 Meyer Lemon
6 tsp Wasabi Tobico Caviar
1 cup Richard Grant Wrotham Pinot Sparkling Wine
1 bunch Chervil (for garnish)
60 Pasta Leaves (follow Pasta recipe below)
Olive Oil (drizzle)
Sea Star Sea Salt to taste

PASTA INGREDIENTS:
1 lb all-purpose flour
3 whole free-range eggs
1 TB Sea Star sea salt
1½ oz Olive oil
3 oz whole organic milk
½ tsp lemon oil
2 TB Rose petals
Parchment paper

TO PREPARE PASTA DOUGH:
Sift flour and make a well in the center. Pour the mixture of eggs, salt, lemon oil, olive oil and milk into the well. Slowly incorporate the flour into the liquid ingredients with a fork, using a whisking motion. Form the pasta into a ball of dough and knead by hand for several minutes until dough is smooth but elastic. Wrap in plastic and let it rest briefly. Pass the pasta through a pasta machine on each setting twice to get it as thin as possible. On the last pass press individual rose petals onto half of the thin pasta sheet. Fold and run through the pasta machine at one setting higher so as not to smash the rose petals or tear the pasta. Cut into nice shapes or leaves and lay on parchment paper that has been lightly dusted with flour. Cook in boiling salted water with a drizzle of olive oil. Cook pasta leaves until they float to the top of the water's surface and are just tender.

TO PREPARE LOBSTERS:
Wash, peel and chop all ingredients for the court bouillon. The exact proportion is not crucial; however, we do want a cooking liquid that is flavorful for cooking the lobsters. Therefore, add extra bits of nice vegetables or citrus to your base for extra flavor if desired.

In a stock pot big enough for three lobsters, melt the butter and sauté the vegetables and herbs until slightly golden. Fill the pot with enough water to eventually cover the lobsters. Bring the liquid to a boil and add one of the lemons (cut into pieces).

With a chef knife, kill each lobster quickly: press the point of the knife straight through the head in one chop. This is the most humane way to kill a lobster. Then put the lobsters in the boiling pot and cook for nine minutes. Remove from Court Bouillon and while the lobsters are still hot crack the shell and remove the meat in nice whole pieces (the meat comes out more easily if removed before it cools). Cut each piece of lobster tail, claw or leg into slices.

TO PREPARE SAUCE:
In a saucepan place the sparkling wine over a low flame and slowly reduce by half. In a separate saucepan heat the lobster stock and reduce a bit more if it needs concentration. When both liquids are hot, add the wine to the stock a little at a time until there is a nice flavor balance. Season with a squeeze of Meyer lemon to taste. Peel the skin from the lemons and cut into a fine chiffonade or ribbons of zest. Whip the cream. Taste the wine you will serve, and then finish your sauce to the flavor of the wine. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil and add lemon zest and whipped cream. Remove from the heat and serve immediately while the sauce is fluffy.

TO FINISH:
Place the pasta leaves, sauce and lobster slices nicely in a hot pasta bowl and top with a touch of Wasabi Tobico and Chervil. Enjoy this dish with a delicious glass of Wrotham pinot!