Cold Seafood Salad Recipes

THE BEST COLD SHRIMP SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1/2 tsp salt. Add shrimp and cook ~ 3-5 minutes or until done.
• Blanch shrimp in ice cold water to stop the cooking process and make them cooler to handle.
• Drain water and chop shrimp.
• Mix all ingredients, except shrimp, in a large bowl. Add chopped shrimp and stir.
• Add more mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste. Toss in more horseradish if you like it spicier.
• Serve cold shrimp salad over lettuce greens, or with crackers, toasted bread, or as a sandwich. Happy Eating! Beckie

ITALIAN SEAFOOD SALAD

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with 3 quarts of water and add the Old Bay seasoning and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil, add the shrimp, lower the heat, and simmer for 3 minutes, until just firm. With a skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a large bowl. Leave 2 cups of the poaching liquid in the pot and discard the rest.
• Add the wine to the poaching liquid and bring to a boil. Add the scallops, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 minutes, until just cooked. With the skimmer, transfer the scallops to the bowl with the shrimp. Bring the poaching liquid back to a boil, add the calamari, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until just cooked. Be careful not to overcook any of the seafood or it will be tough! With the skimmer, transfer the calamari to the bowl.
• Bring the poaching liquid to a boil again, add the mussels, cover, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until all the shells have opened, discarding any that don't open. Turn off the heat and set aside until the mussels in the broth are cool enough to handle. Remove the mussels from the shells and add to the bowl. Add 12 of the shells to the seafood and discard the rest. Set aside 1/2 cup of the poaching liquid, discarding the rest. Drain the seafood in a colander and put it all back into the bowl.
• For the dressing, heat the olive oil in a medium (10-inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. (Be careful: Overcooked garlic will be bitter.) Add the tomatoes and cook over medium heat for 2 more minutes. Add the reserved poaching liquid, the limoncello, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook for 1 more minute. Pour the sauce over the seafood and toss gently. Add the fennel and parsley. Cut a lemon in half lengthwise, cut it thinly crosswise, and add it to the salad. Toss gently to combine and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• To serve, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and the juice of the remaining lemon. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.

SEAFOOD SALAD

Steps:

• Break the imitation crab into bite-size chunks or chop with a knife; place in a large bowl.
• Add the remaining ingredients and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

CHILLED ITALIAN SEAFOOD SALAD

Steps:

• For the calamari: Combine the calamari and buttermilk in a large glass container. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse. Transfer to a mixing bowl and set aside.
• For the Venetian vinaigrette: Combine the vinegar, garlic, lemon zest and juice in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk in the oil slowly to emulsify. Once thickened, whisk in the parsley, cilantro, oregano and scallions. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate in an airtight container until ready for use (or up to 48 hours).
• For the court bouillon: Place 12 cups cold water, the celery, carrot, onion, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, chili, lemon and black peppercorns into a large stockpot fitted with a fine mesh colander attachment. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Poach by placing the calamari and the shrimp into the colander and simmering until the calamari is firm and the shrimp is pink, about 3 minutes. Remove to a mixing bowl and set aside. Poach the clams until the shells open, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Transfer the clams to the already poached shellfish, discarding any unopened shells. Add the sliced tomato to the shellfish. Toss with two-thirds of the vinaigrette, season and refrigerate until chilled, about 10 minutes.
• For the salad: Gently toss the arugula and fennel in a large mixing bowl with the remaining vinaigrette to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large serving dish. Arrange the marinated seafood atop the salad. Garnish with the diced tomatoes, scallions, lemon wedges and fennel fronds around the platter.

CHILLED SEAFOOD SALAD WITH HERBED OLIVE OIL AND SEA SALT

Steps:

• Remove flaps from squid sacs if attached, reserving them, and cut sacs crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rings. Cut reserved flaps into 1/4-inch-thick strips and halve tentacles lengthwise if large. Remove tough muscle from side of each scallop if necessary.
• Have ready a large bowl of ice and cold water. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook shrimp 1 minute, or until pink and just cooked through, and transfer with a slotted spoon to ice water to stop cooking.
• Add scallops to boiling water and cook at a bare simmer 2 minutes, or until just cooked through. Transfer scallops with slotted spoon to ice water to stop cooking.
• Add squid to boiling water and cook 20 to 30 seconds, or until just opaque. Drain squid in a colander and transfer to ice water to stop cooking.
• Drain seafood well in colander and transfer to a bowl. Chill seafood, covered, until cold, at least 2 hours, and up to 1 day.
• Make herbed oil:
• In a blender blend together herbed oil ingredients on high speed 1 minute. Pour oil through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on solids, and discard solids. Herbed oil may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. One hour before serving, toss seafood with lemon slices and lemon juice. Divide seafood among 12 bowls and drizzle with herbed oil. Sprinkle salads with sea salt and serve additional sea salt on the side.

COLD SEAFOOD SALAD

Steps:

• Roast red and yellow peppers over a gas flame or under a broiler until blackened. Place in a paper bag to cool. Peel and seed peppers, and cut into strips. Set aside until ready to use.
• Poach seafood separately in simmering salted water. Cook mussels and clams until shells open, 5 to 7 minutes. Cook scallops, shrimp, and calamari until opaque, 5 to 7 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels and clams. Drain all the seafood and let cool; set aside until ready to use.
• In a small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic, red-pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.
• In a large serving bowl, combine cooled seafood (keep mussels and clams in their shells), pepper strips, artichoke hearts, olives, and basil. Pour dressing over salad; mix to coat thoroughly. Serve immediately.

COLD SEAFOOD SALAD

Steps:

• Roast red and yellow peppers over a gas flame or under a broiler until blackened. Place in a paper bag to cool. Peel and seed peppers, and cut into strips. Set aside until ready to use.
• Poach seafood separately in simmering salted water. Cook mussels and clams until shells open, 5 to 7 minutes. Cook scallops, shrimp, and calamari until opaque, 5 to 7 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels and clams. Drain all the seafood and let cool; set aside until ready to use.
• In a small bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic, red-pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.
• In a large serving bowl, combine cooled seafood (keep mussels and clams in their shells), pepper strips, artichoke hearts, olives, and basil. Pour dressing over salad; mix to coat thoroughly. Serve immediately.