Insalata di Mare (Seafood Salad)

Insalata di Mare.jpg

Ingredients

Poaching Broth:

  • 5 cups water

  • 1 cup white wine or chicken stock

  • 2 teaspoons salt

  • 2 bay leaves (use 3 if they are small)

  • 1 tsp cracked black pepper

  • 1 small onion, roughly chopped


For the salad:


  • 4 whole lemons; juiced (need to yield about ½ cup) reserve 3 long strips of lemon zest reserve 3 long strips of lemon zest

  • 4 TBs red wine vinegar

  • 2 TBs Dijon mustard

  • 2 garlic clove; minced or pressed

  • 1 tsp Sea salt and ½ tsp fresh cracked pepper; to taste

  • 2 lb calamari; bodies and tentacles

  • 2 lb large shrimp; peeled and deveined

  • ½ cup red onion; thinly sliced

  • 2 small fresh hot chile; thinly sliced or a pinch of red pepper flakes

  • 4 TBs fresh parsley; coarsely chopped

  • 4 bay leaves

  • Serve with side of crusted bread or Focaccia


Directions


For the dressing:


  1. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, vinegar, mustard and garlic

  2. Add 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper; set aside (or to taste)

 

For the Poaching Broth:

  1. In a medium pot, combine the water, wine, salt, pepper, bay leaves and onions together; cover and bring to a boil 

  2. Turn off the heat to let the flavors steep for at least 15 minutes; longer if possible 

  3. In the meantime, set a strainer over a bowl

  4. Bring the poaching broth back to a boil and add the calamari rings

  5. Boil 1 minute; remove the calamari and place in the strainer to drain

  6. Transfer to a medium-size bowl

  7. Add the shrimp to the broth and cook until it is pink and cooked through; about 3 minutes

  8. Remove the shrimp from the pot and place in the strainer 

  9. Add the shrimp to the bowl with the calamari

Assembly of the salad:

  1. Pour the dressing over the seafood; marinate for several minutes

  2. Add the onion, chile, and parsley; stir until well coated

  3. Add the bay leaves and lemon zest; stir until all the ingredients are well coated

  4. Refrigerate and marinate for 2 hours

  5. Discard the lemon zest and bay leaves; divide the salad among small plates

  6. Serve with warm crusted bread 

 

Yields:  12 servings

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