Italian Seafood Salad
Italian seafood salad, or insalata di mare, mixes tender shellfish with lemony dressing and pickled veggies for a bright, fresh dish that works as an appetizer or main course.
Servings: 8
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Pickled Vegetables
- 1 Cup white wine vinegar
- 1 Cup water
- 2 Tablespoons white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon salt
- 1 Teaspoon peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Cup celery cut into small cubes
- 1 Cup carrots cut into small cubes
- 1 Cup red pepper cut into small cubes
For the Salad
- 2 Pounds littleneck clams about 2 dozen, scrubbed
- 1 Pound mussels scrubbed and debearded
- 1 Pound shrimp medium, peeled and deveined
- 1 Pound calamari cleaned and cut into rings
- 1 Cup water
- 1 Cup dry white wine
- 1 Teaspoon salt
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Cup Castelvetrano olives pitted
For the Dressing
- ½ Cup reserved cooking liquid
- ½ Cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ Cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 2 Cloves garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
- salt and black pepper to taste
To Garnish
- lemon wedges
- fresh parsley
Instructions
Prepare the Pickling Liquid
- In a saucepan, combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt, peppercorns, and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.
Pickle the Vegetables
- Place celery and carrots in a bowl.
- Pour hot pickling liquid over vegetables.
- Let sit at room temperature until the liquid cools, then add the red pepper and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Drain before adding to the salad.
Cook the Seafood
- Meanwhile, in a large pot, combine the white wine, bay leaves and a cup of water.
- Bring to a simmer.
- Add the clams, cover, and cook until they open, most should need 5 to 7 minutes or some up to 10 minutes if they haven’t opened.
- Remove with a slotted spoon, discarding any that don’t open.
- Add the mussels, cover and cook until they open, most 3 to 4 minutes, some up to 10 minutes. Remove and discard any that don’t open.
- Poach the shrimp in the same liquid until pink and firm, about 2 minutes.
- Remove and set aside.
- Poach the calamari rings until just opaque, about 1 minute.
- Remove and set aside.
- Reserve a cup of the poaching liquid, then discard the bay leaves.
- Once cooled, remove clams and mussels from shells, maybe leaving a few for garnish.
Marinate the Seafood
- In a large bowl, whisk together the reserved poaching liquid, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper.
- Add the seafood, olives, and drained pickled vegetables.
- Toss gently to coat.
Chill the Seafood Salad
- Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Garnish and Serve
- Serve chilled or at room temperature, with lemon wedges and parsley as a garnish.
Notes
Perfect pickling: Pickle the vegetables at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours ahead for more flavor.
Don’t overcook: Seafood becomes rubbery if cooked too long, so watch it closely.
Dry the seafood: Pat seafood dry after cooking to prevent a watery salad.
Chill thoroughly: The salad tastes better after resting for at least an hour.
Taste before serving: Adjust lemon juice or salt to balance flavors.
Leave some shells on: A few clams and mussels in shells look beautiful for presentation.
Don’t overcook: Seafood becomes rubbery if cooked too long, so watch it closely.
Dry the seafood: Pat seafood dry after cooking to prevent a watery salad.
Chill thoroughly: The salad tastes better after resting for at least an hour.
Taste before serving: Adjust lemon juice or salt to balance flavors.
Leave some shells on: A few clams and mussels in shells look beautiful for presentation.
Nutrition
Calories: 271kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 145mg | Sodium: 1310mg | Potassium: 420mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3519IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 2mg
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