How to Make Seafood Salad with Saffron and Root Vegetables

This salad serves 4 as a main course and 6 to 8 as a first course.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1 pound mussels
• 1 pound clams
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots or onion
• 2 cups dry white wine.
• 4 threads saffron
• 1/2 pound medium shrimp, cooked, shelled and deveined
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 pound bay scallops
• Freshly ground white pepper
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• Cayenne to taste
• 1/2 cup julienned peeled carrot
• 1/2 cup 2 inch julienned celery root
• 1/2 cup 2 inch julienned peeled turnip
• 1/2 cup 2inch juliened leek, white part only
• 8 large leaves red leaf lettuce, washed and dried, but left whole
• 4 basil leaves for garnish.

1. First scrub the mussels and clams well under cold running water. Remove the beards on the mussels by pulling up and down on them until they release. Discard any shellfish that remain open during the cleaning process.

2. Heat a large saucepan with a lid. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the clams and mussels, shallot, and garlic. Stir well. Now add the wine and cover the pan. Bring to a simmer and let the clams and mussels cook for about 3 minutes with a lid on. Remove the lid and any of the open shellfish (place them in a colander over a bowl). Now replace the lid and let cook another 2 minutes, until the remaining shells open. Any shells that have not opened by this time are not going to and should be discarded.

3. Drain the cooked mussels and clams in a colander set over a bowl to collect their juices. Whey they are cool enough to handle, remove them from their shells and place them in another bowl. Chill until needed.

4. Now strain the liquid that has collected under the colander and place it in a small saucepan. Add the saffron and reduce over high heat by two-thirds. Strain and cool to room temperature. Now chill until needed.

5. Cut the cooked shrimp in 1/2-inch pieces. Add to the bowl containing the shelled mussels and clams. Return to the refrigerator.

6. Heat a large frying pan. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel. Season them with salt and white pepper. Add to the pan and brown quickly. Do not overcook; they should remain soft in the center. Remove to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. When cool, add to the chilled shellfish, along with any juices that have accumulated in the bottom of the bowl.

7. Now whisk together the mayonnaise, cream and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the chopped basil and 4 tablespoons of the chilled, reduced mussel-clam broth. Add more broth to taste, as well as lime juice, cayenne and white pepper. Keep chill until needed.

8. Prepare an ice bath. Bring 1 quart water to a boil with 1/2 teaspoon salt. One variety at a time. Blanch the julienned vegetables for about 30 seconds and refresh them in the ice bath. Drain well and dry. When they all have been blanched, toss them with the chilled shellfish and some sauce. Continue adding the sauce, until the entire salad is coated with it and the salad is completely mixed. This mixture can be kept chilled for up to 24 hours. It is best to chill it for at least 2 hours before serving.

9. Also, distribute the red leaf lettuce among the plates. Spoon equal quantities of seafood salad onto the center of each plate. Garnish with the whole basil leaves. Serve at once.

Resources

• Make Warm Mushroom Salad
• Curried Chicken and Cantaloupe Salad

[CHAD1]

on 5/8/2009 5 stars

[khali321]

on 4/22/2009 great

[e-Rambler]

on 3/13/2009 Good stuff. I'll make this some day.

[IcyCucky]

on 3/12/2009 Yummy! I must try to make this

[lezsays]

on 3/10/2009 Very Interesting.5