Chef Eric Ybarra
Tikul Coastal Mexican
1250 Prospect St., #B10
La Jolla
858/456-6611
www.tikul.com

Tikul Coastal Mexican
Lobster Tacos with Spinach Salad

Serves 2

La Jolla welcomes its newest jewel with the launch of Tikul Coastal Mexican on Prospect Street. The venue is the debut establishment from Puerto Vallarta's restaurant group, Grupo La Palapa, which boasts three dining establishments in the charming coastal region of the Mexican Riviera. Throughout their 40 years of experience, the group has collected a delightful array of traditional Mexican recipes with a dedicated coastal flair. Here, Eric Ybarra, chef of the new Tikul in La Jolla, shares one of the most popular dishes featured on the menu, which originates from the sister location of Tikul in Puerto Vallarta. 

Lobster Tacos
1 tablespoon butter
1 3/4 ounces lobster, finely chopped
1/4 ounce Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 ounce spinach, julienned
1 teaspoon heavy cream
1 flour tortilla
2 tablespoons roasted tomato sauce (recipe follows)

1. In a skillet, heat the butter until melted. Add the lobster, cheese, spinach and cream.
2. Take the mixture off the heat and wrap in the tortilla like a taco.
3. Place tacos on a bed of two tablespoons of roasted tomato sauce.

Roasted Tomato Sauce*
Four pounds roasted tomatoes
3 roasted jalapenos
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, finely chopped
1 ounce jalapeno vinegar (from pickled jalapenos)
Lime juice to taste
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Blend roasted tomatoes with jalapenos.
2. In a sauté pan, sauté onion until clear.
3. Add other ingredients and season with lime juice and salt and pepper.
4. Reduce until deep red in color.

*This makes a batch of all-purpose tomato sauce (similar to a Mexican-style marinara) for many uses.

Spinach Salad
4 1/4 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
1 ounce mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 ounce jicama, finely julienned
2 ounces cherry tomato
2 1/2 ounces tequila and lime vinaigrette (recipe follows)
1 1/2 ounces shredded Parmesan
2 1/2 ounces marinated panela cheese in triangles for garnish (recipe follows)
1.5 ounces fried corn tortillas, julienned, for garnish

1. Mix spinach, mushrooms, jicama and cherry tomato with the tequila and lime vinaigrette.
2. Sprinkle with shredded Parmesan and garnish with panela cheese* and tortilla strips.
3. Place salad on plate next to tacos.

*Panela cheese can be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, next to the cotija and the queso fresco.

Tequila and Lime Vinaigrette
3 ounces rice vinegar
1/3 ounce garlic, finely chopped
4 ounces lime juice
1/2 ounce Worcestershire sauce
2 ounces shallots, finely chopped
Pinch oregano, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
10 ounces olive oil
2 ounces el Jimador tequila

1. Mix all ingredients except oil and tequila with a hand blender.
2. Slowly incorporate the olive oil, then the tequila. Toss with the side salad.

Marinated Panela Cheese
35 ounces panela cheese
1 1/2 ounce chile pasilla in powder form
1 clove roasted garlic
8 ounces olive oil
1/2 ounce Worcestershire sauce
1/10 ounce pepper
Salt to taste

1. Mix all ingredients except panela.
2. Add panela triangles and let rest at room temperature.

Garnish
1 pinch chipotle cream sauce (recipe follows)
1 sprig cilantro for garnish

1. Decorate dish with cream of chipotle and one sprig of cilantro.

Chipotle Cream Sauce
1 chipotle chile
1 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Blend sour cream with chile and add salt and pepper.