This seafood salad is associated with Christmas, but it’s delicious any time of year.
- 1 lb. raw, peeled and deveined shrimp, 26-30 count
- 1 lb. calamari (squid) cleaned and cut into rings and tentacle sections
- 1 lb. large scallops, cut into fourths
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. salt
- a few black peppercorns
- 2 ribs celery, cut thin on the diagonal
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 1/4 c. chopped red onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 c. good quality extra-virgin olive oil
- Juice of two lemons
- 1/4 c. chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Have the seafood cleaned and ready to cook.
Bring one quart water to boil in a 4 qt. pot. Add the bay leaf, salt and peppercorns; boil, covered, for five minutes to infuse the flavors.
Add the shrimp, cook 30 seconds; add calamari and scallops. Cook another 2-3 minutes or until shrimp are pink and scallops are opaque. Strain seafood, removing the bay leaf and peppercorns, and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the celery, red pepper, red onion and garlic. Whisk in the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley. Add the seafood and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving. Serves 6-8.
Note: 1 lb. each of mussels and clams, or additional shrimp and scallops can be substituted for the calamari.
