Insalata di mare (Italian Seafood Salad)
Ingredients
To cook the shrimp and calamari:
- 250 g (1/2 lb) medium shrimp, tails removed, peeled and deveined if needed
- 250 g (1/2 lb) small to medium sized calamari,, cleaned
- 1 small onion peeled and cut in half
- 1 stalk of celery
- 1-2 cloves of garlic peeled
- 1 bay leaf
- 1-2 sprigs of parsley
- salt
For cooking the mussels and clams:
- 500 g (1 lb) mussels
- 12 clams preferably a small variety like littlenecks
- 1-2 cloves of garlic slightly crushed and peeled
- A stems of a few sprigs of fresh parsley
- Peels of one lemon
- White wine
To prepare the dressing:
- 1/d lemon, the juice of
- 150 ml (1/2 cup) olive oil
- 1 small clove of garlic very finely minced (optional)
- salt
- The leaves of a few sprigs of fresh parsley finely minced
- A small pinch of red pepper flakes optional
Instructions
Prep and cook the shrimp and calamari
- Cut the body of the calamari into rings and, if they are large, cut the tentacles into bite sized pieces. Set aside until needed.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Salt very generously and add the onion, celery, garlic, parsley and bay leaf. Let simmer for a good 15-20 minutes so the aromatics infuse. Remove the aromatics.
- Add the shrimp and cook very briefly, only until they turn pink, usually just a minute or two. Remove immediately with a skimmer and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry.
- Now add the calamari to the same pot and simmer until tender, usually about 5-10 minutes depending on their size. Once cooked, remove the calamari with a skimmer, run under cold water, drain and pat dry.
Prep and cook the clams and mussels
- Soak both the clams and mussels in well salted water for at least an hour. Drain when ready to cook.
- In a saucepan large enough to hold all the clams and mussels comfortably, sauté the garlic and parsley stems gently in a drizzle of olive oil, just until you can smell the garlic (which should not brown at all).
- Add the clams first and then the mussels, along with a splash of white wine.
- Cover and let the clams and mussels steam let them steam just until they open. Shake the saucepan from time to time to help things along and uncover to check on them every couple of minutes. As the bivalves open, remove them to a bowl to cool off.
- When the clams and mussels have cooled enough to handle, gingerly remove the meat from their shells, using paring knife if need be to cut the ligaments that attach the meat to its shell. Rinse off any grit that may cling to the meat and, for the mussels, trim off any threads that might still be clinging to them.
- Place the clams and mussel meat in a small bowl and, if you're not planning on using them right away, moisten them with a spoonful or two of their cooking juices.
- When you're ready to use the clams and mussels, drain them and gently pat them dry with a paper towel.
Preparing the dressing
- Whisk the lemon juice and olive oil together until emulsified. If you like, add a spoonful or two of the clam and mussel cooking juices and whisk again. Season with a pinch of salt, the minced parsley and, if using, the minced garlic and/or red pepper flakes. Whisk again to mix well.
Putting it all together
- Place all the cooked seafood in a mixing bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss until all the seafood is nicely coated. Let marinate for at least an hour before serving. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
- To serve, arrange the marinated seafood on a platter or in a serving bowl, then drizzle the seafood with olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice and sprinkle with minced parsley for color.