Description
This Seafood Salad Magic offers a refreshing Mediterranean feast featuring tender octopus, shrimp, and squid tossed in a zesty citrus and Dijon mustard dressing. Perfect for a light, flavorful meal, this salad balances the rich sea flavors with crisp celery and aromatic herbs.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood
- 1 pound Octopus (cleaned)
- 1 pound Shrimp (peeled and deveined)
- 1 pound Squid (whole or tubes, cut into rings)
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 stalks Celery (chopped for boiling and crunch)
- 1 whole Lemon (halved for cooking and juiced for dressing)
- 1 whole Tangerine (juiced for dressing)
- 2 leaves Bay Leaves
- 1 tablespoon Peppercorns
- 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 1/4 cup Parsley (chopped for garnish)
Seasonings & Dressing
- 1 teaspoon Salt (for boiling and dressing)
- 1/2 cup Olive Oil
- 2 tablespoons Honey Dijon Mustard
Instructions
- Preparation: Rinse the octopus thoroughly under cold running water to clean it completely.
- Flavor the boiling water: Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the chopped celery, halved lemon, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt to infuse flavors.
- Cook the octopus: Dip the octopus tentacles into the boiling water three times as a tenderizing step, then fully immerse and simmer for 40-45 minutes until the octopus becomes tender.
- Cool and slice octopus: Remove the octopus from water, allow it to cool, then cut into equal-sized pieces for the salad.
- Poach the squid and shrimp: Prepare a second pot of boiling water with halved lemon, tangerine juice, bay leaves, and salt. Poach the squid rings and tentacles for about 2 minutes, then add the shrimp and cook for an additional 2 minutes until both are opaque and tender.
- Make the dressing: In a bowl, whisk together the olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon and tangerine juices, minced garlic, honey Dijon mustard, salt to taste, and chopped parsley until emulsified.
- Combine seafood and dressing: In a large bowl, mix the cooked octopus, squid, and shrimp. Pour the prepared dressing over the seafood and toss gently to coat all pieces evenly.
- Serving: Serve the salad at room temperature immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 12 hours to allow flavors to meld before serving.
Notes
- Ask your fishmonger to assist with cleaning the octopus if needed.
- For extra crunch, add finely chopped celery directly to the salad after boiling.
- The dipping of octopus tentacles before simmering helps tenderize the meat.
- Do not overcook squid and shrimp; they should be just opaque to avoid rubberiness.
- The salad can be served chilled or at room temperature based on preference.
- Use fresh citrus juice for the dressing to maximize flavor brightness.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator and consume within 12 hours for freshness.
