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Seafood Salad Recipe by Mr. Make It Happen
Introduction:
As the warm breeze of summer wafts through the air, there’s nothing quite like a refreshing seafood salad to transport your taste buds to the coast. Bursting with oceanic flavors and vibrant colors, seafood salad offers a tantalizing blend of textures and tastes that make it a perfect dish for any occasion. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue, planning a picnic by the beach, or simply craving a light and healthy meal, seafood salad is sure to delight your senses.
Exploring the Ingredients:
The beauty of seafood salad lies in its versatility. From succulent shrimp and tender crab to flaky tuna and delicate squid, there’s a bounty of options to choose from when it comes to selecting the star of your salad. You can opt for a single type of seafood or create a medley of flavors by combining different varieties. Whichever you choose, fresh is always best when it comes to seafood – look for high-quality, sustainably sourced options for the best taste and texture.
In addition to the seafood itself, seafood salad typically features an array of crisp, colorful vegetables that add crunch and freshness to every bite. For me, I like to use celery, onion, and bell pepper – but feel free to use whatever you like!
Shallots can be used in place of onions for this recipe like I did today.
Mr. Make It Happen
Japanese Steel Chef Knife
When prepping the veggies, make sure to dice them in equal proportion.
Mr. Make It Happen
2pc. Hybrid Skillet
Next, warm a skillet over medium heat and add a little butter. Cook the shrimp until 145 degrees internal temp. Next, add in the pre-cooked lobster (or cook the raw lobster at the same time as the shrimp – to the same internal temp).
Season the seafood to taste and then set aside to cool while you start your dressing.
Feel free to customize the dressing to your preference. For me, I prefer a Mayo base with a touch of sweetness, some heat (from your favorite hot sauce) and a little Umami from the Worcestershire sauce. Mix your dressing ingredients together along with the diced veggies. Cook your pasta per package instructions and then cool to at least room temp.
Finally, toss the dressing, seafood, and pasta together until evenly coated. Taste and adjust the flavor to your preference and serve chilled.
Serving and Enjoying:
Seafood salad is best served chilled, allowing the flavors to meld together and the ingredients to crisp up slightly. Transfer the salad to a serving dish or individual bowls, garnishing with extra herbs or a squeeze of lemon for a final burst of freshness. Serve alongside crusty bread, crackers, or a bed of mixed greens for a complete meal that’s as satisfying as it is delicious.
Whether you’re dining al fresco on a sunny patio or picnicking in the park, seafood salad is the perfect dish to celebrate the flavors of summer and satisfy your seafood cravings. With its vibrant colors, bold flavors, and refreshing textures, it’s sure to become a staple in your culinary repertoire. So grab your fork and dive into a bowl of seafood salad – the ocean’s bounty awaits!
Print & Download Recipe
Seafood Salad
Equipment
- 1 Mr. Make It Happen Chef Knife or preferred kitchen knife
- 1 Mr. Make It Happen Skillet or preferred skillet
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
Seafood:
- 1/2 lb medium shrimp, or 1/2 lb of lobster
- 1 lb crab meat, lump/claw/or combo
Dry Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb elbow macaroni
Produce:
- 1-2 stalks of diced celery
- 1/2 diced yellow onion
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- Green Onion – diced for garnish
Dairy:
- 1 tbsp butter
Condiments:
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1/4 cup sweet relish
- 2-3 dashes hot sauce
- 2-3 dashes worcestershire sauce
Seasonings/Spices:
- 2 pinches of sugar, to taste
- Old Bay
- Salt/pepper/garlic/onion powder
Instructions
Preparation:
- Dice the celery, yellow onion, and red bell pepper.
- Zest and juice the lemon.
- Clean and prepare the shrimp, lobster, and crab meat as needed.
Cooking the Seafood:
- In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat.
- Add the shrimp and lobster to the skillet and cook until the shrimp are pink and opaque, about 3-4 minutes. If using raw crab meat, add it here as well and cook until heated through. If using pre-cooked crab meat, add it after the shrimp and lobster are cooked.
- Season to taste
Cooking the Pasta:
- While the seafood is cooking, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the elbow macaroni according to package instructions, usually about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Combining Ingredients:
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked and drained elbow macaroni (wait until cooled until at least room temp), cooked seafood, diced onion, red bell pepper, and celery, and 1/2 cup of mayo.
- Add the diced onion, red bell pepper, and celery.
- Add 1/4 cup of sweet relish, the juice and zest of 1 lemon, and 2 pinches of sugar.
- Season with Old Bay, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder to taste.
- Add 2-3 dashes of hot sauce and 2-3 dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Mix well to combine all ingredients.
Serving:
- Garnish with diced green onion before serving. Best served chilled!
