Chef de cuisine Christina Coupet of La Cote, the open-air beach club and restaurant at Fontainebleau Miami Beach, creates cuisine that combines the inspirations of Florida and the Mediterranean. Coupet characterizes the Spicy Lobster Roll, for example, as being Mediterranean with a Haitian influence. She says her Haitian background inspired the dish.
“What I remember from my summers in Haiti is sitting on the beach and watching the fishermen come off the boat with fresh-caught Caribbean lobsters. Everything we eat in Haiti is served with a spicy slaw, so I decided to come up with a different spin on the famous lobster roll by incorporating that into the dish. We serve it on a homemade roll and toss the lobster salad with the spicy slaw mix. The sweetness of the lobster and the spiciness of the slaw come together wonderfully.”
Her earliest comfort food memory is fresh conch, right out of the water and onto smoky charcoal.
“It’s charred with a spicy pepper and lemon sauce,” Coupet says. “Every time I’m at the beach, this is the first meal I eat, no matter what time of day it is.”
La Cote Spicy Lobster Roll with Haitian Pickles and Truffled Potato Chips
From: Chef de cuisine Christina Coupet, La Cote, Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Yield: 2 rolls.
Lobster Mix:
12 oz. cooked Maine lobster meat
4 oz. mayo
2 tsp. seafood seasoning
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
2 oz. chopped shallot
1 Tbsp. chopped chives
1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
1 oz. extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
Pickles:
8 oz. shredded green cabbage
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
4 oz. onion, julienned
1 jalapeno, sliced then
1 qt. white vinegar
2 cups water
4 oz. salt
2 oz. canola oil
1 tsp. white truffle oil (optional)
1 tsp. sea salt
¼ tsp. black pepper
Chips:
1 sweet potato
4 purple potatoes
2 Yukon gold potatoes
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
2 fresh hoagie rolls, cut down the center
For the lobster: Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix gently and set aside.
For pickles: Combine salt, vinegar, water and oil in a saucepot and bring to a boil. Pour over remaining ingredients in a bowl and refrigerate overnight.
For chips: Peel and thinly slice all potatoes on a slicer or mandolin and place in cold water. Remove chips from water and dry on paper towel. Fry in 350°F oil for 3 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Remove to a paper towel and sprinkle with sea salt and truffle oil.
To plate: Toast hoagie rolls in a 400°F oven for about 1 minute. Fill each roll with ½ of the lobster filling. Top with pickles and serve with warm potato chips on the side.
