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Recipe Detail Page
Seafood Salad for A Crowd
Summer 2022
I love a big platter of chilled seafood. This one is like a seafood tower and salad in one, thanks to the pile of in-shell mussels and clams. It feels like a party, especially on a hot summer day when all you need to do is pull the seafood out of the fridge, dress it and dig in. The relishy vinaigrette is sharp and delicious, the kind you’ll want to sop up with great bread. If your favourite grocer doesn’t carry precooked frozen octopus, double up on the squid rings.
Serves 4 to 6
1 1/2 lbs (680 g) littleneck Canadian clams (see TIP)
1 1/2 lbs (680 g) scrubbed Canadian mussels
8 oz (225 g) frozen cooked octopus, thawed
8 oz (225 g) frozen cooked squid rings, thawed
DRESSING
1/2 cup (125 mL) extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 mL) red wine vinegar
1 tbsp (15 mL) lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped or grated
2 tbsp (30 mL) finely diced red onion
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely diced orange pepper
1/2 cup (125 mL) finely diced ripe, seeded tomato
1/2 cup (125 mL) chopped basil, plus extra to garnish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Crusty bread to serve
1. Place clams in a large, dry pot with a tight-fitting lid. Cover, set over medium heat, and cook 5 to 6 minutes or until shells have opened and clams have released their liquid. Transfer clams to a bowl (discard any that didn’t open) with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Return pot and clam liquid to medium heat, add mussels, cover and cook about 4 minutes or until mussels have opened. Transfer mussels to a bowl and discard any unopened ones along with the cooking liquid.
3. When the shellfish is cool enough to handle, twist off and discard one half shell from each, leaving the meat cradled in the remaining half shell. Stack, meat side up, in a container large enough to fit them. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours and up to a day.
4. Meanwhile, make the dressing by whisking together oil, vinegar, lemon juice and garlic. Stir in onion, pepper and tomato. (Dressing can be made up to this point and stored, covered and refrigerated, up to 1 day.)
5. When ready to serve, stir basil into dressing and season to taste with salt and pepper. Slice octopus into 1/4-inch (5-mm) coins. Pile seafood onto a rimmed platter, alternating between meat-side-up shellfish, octopus and squid rings. Spoon ample dressing over everything as you assemble. Tuck a fancy cluster of basil leaves or two into the pile if you’re having company and serve with crusty bread.
Serves 4 to 6
TIP: Clams can vary a lot in saltiness and sandiness, but you can do something about that. An hour or so before you cook your clams, give them a good rinse under cool running water. Combine 1/3 cup (80 mL) fine sea salt with 8 cups (2 L) cold water. Stir to dissolve salt, then add 1/4 cup (60 mL) cornmeal and the clams. Refrigerate for an hour, drain and rinse again before cooking.
