Marinated Shellfish Salad
Ingredients
For the Vinaigrette
- 1/3 cup red-wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried Italian oregano, crushed between your fingers
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
- 2/3 cup best quality olive oil, plus more for serving
- 3/4 cup pitted mixed olives
- 1/4 cup chopped Peppadew peppers
- 1 strip fresh lemon peel (1 inch by 1/2 inch), finely julienned
- 2 tablespoons chiffonade of fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
For the Octopus
- 1 cup red wine
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
- Salt, to taste
- 5 to 6 wine corks
- 1 octopus (about 2 pounds), cleaned
For the Shrimp and Scallops
- 3 tablespoons table salt
- 2 teaspoons liquid crab boil (such as Zatarain's)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 lemon, cut in half
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 1 pound (20 to 25) headless shrimp, shell on
- 1 pound jumbo sea scallops, cut in half horizontally
For the Mussels
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 shallot, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons chopped Peppadew peppers
- 1/2 cup dry vermouth
- 1 piece fresh lemon peel (about 1 inch)
- 2 pounds mussels, scrubbed well, beard removed
- 1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked through for any shells
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for serving
- Lemon halves, for serving
Directions
Make the vinaigrette: In a medium mixing bowl, combine vinegar, mustard, shallot, garlic, red pepper, oregano, salt, and white pepper and stir to mix well. Whisk in olive oil in a slow, steady stream until incorporated. Stir in olives, Peppadew peppers, lemon peel, basil, and parsley. Set aside until ready to use. (The vinaigrette may be made up to this point 2 days in advance and refrigerated in a nonreactive covered container.)
Make the octopus: In a large saucepan, combine 3 quarts water, wine, bay leaves, red pepper, salt, and wine corks and bring to a boil. (Cooking with wine corks is thought to help tenderize the meat.) Reduce to a simmer; add octopus and cook until tender, about 1 hour and 30 minutes. Drain in a colander and discard cooking liquid and corks. Slice tentacles and center section into 1-inch pieces.
Make the shrimp and scallops: Prepare an ice-water bath. In a 4-quart saucepan, combine 2 quarts water, salt, crab boil, bay leaves, lemon halves, and red pepper and bring to a boil. Allow liquid to boil for 2 minutes, then add shrimp and scallops and cook for 2 minutes or until just cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp and scallops to a lightly salted ice-water bath just until cool enough to handle. Remove shrimp and scallops from water and peel shrimp. Set aside in a bowl while you cook the mussels.
Make the mussels: Melt butter in a high-sided saute pan set over medium heat. When butter begins to bubble, add garlic, shallot, and salt and cook for 2 minutes until shallot is translucent. Add peppers, vermouth, and lemon peel and bring to a boil. Add mussels and cover pan with a tight-fitting lid. Cook mussels for 5 minutes or until all of the mussels have opened. Discard any unopened mussels. Using a slotted spoon, transfer mussels to a bowl and set aside to cool. Reduce remaining liquid in pan for 2 to 3 minutes, until it thickens. Remove mussels from shells and add to the same bowl as shrimp and scallops.
Add crabmeat and octopus to bowl and gently toss to combine. Pour vinaigrette over shellfish and let stand at room temperature for half an hour. Garnish with extra-virgin olive oil and squeezes of lemon.
Serve in cold glass bowls.
Cook's Note: Peppadew peppers are small, sweet, spicy pickled peppers. They can be found in the same section as olives in your local grocery store.
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