Italian Salads Recipes - Seafood Salad (Insalata di Mare) Recipe

Ingredients 

• 20 fresh mussels in shells, scrubbed and beards removed

• 40 fresh baby clams in shells, scrubbed

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 lemon, halved

• 200 g/7oz fresh or frozen squid, cleaned and cut into rings

• Salt

• 175 g/6 oz cooked, peeled prawns (shrimp)

• 4 large cooked, peeled king prawns (jumbo shrimp)

• 90 ml/6 tbsp olive oil

• 45 ml/3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Crusty bread, to serve

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Method:

1. Soak the mussels and clams overnight in a bucket of water with the bay leaf and half the lemon.

2. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the squid and simmer for 25-30 minutes until tender.

3. Strain the mussels and clams, discarding any which are not closed.

4. Place in a large pan with just enough fresh water to cover the base of the pan, cover and steam over a moderate heat for about 8 minutes until they open, discarding any that do not open.

5. Remove the mussels and clams from their shells and place in a warmed bowl with the prawns and squid.

6. Squeeze the juice from the reserved lemon over the bowl and add the oil, parsley and pepper to taste.

7. Serve warm with plenty of crusty bread.