Pioneer Woman Seafood Salad

CAESAR SALAD WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• For the garlicky croutons: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
• Spread out the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with the garlic oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, tossing the croutons once halfway through, until crisp, about 25 minutes. Set aside and cool completely.
• For the Caesar dressing: Put the garlic oil in a blender. Add the anchovies, mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add the Parmesan and give it a quick blitz. (You want to retain some of the texture of the cheese.)
• For the salad: Peel and pit the avocados, then slice lengthwise into spears and sprinkle with some lemon juice to prevent browning. Set aside.
• Arrange the romaine in a line on a platter with the inside of each quarter-head of lettuce facing upward. Drizzle the dressing over the lettuce, allowing it to seep into the layers of leaves. Arrange the shrimp on top, along with the croutons. Scatter the cheese shavings and parsley leaves over the top. Squeeze the lemon half over the whole platter and serve.

ITALIAN SEAFOOD SALAD

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with 3 quarts of water and add the Old Bay seasoning and 1 tablespoon of salt. Bring to a boil, add the shrimp, lower the heat, and simmer for 3 minutes, until just firm. With a skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a large bowl. Leave 2 cups of the poaching liquid in the pot and discard the rest.
• Add the wine to the poaching liquid and bring to a boil. Add the scallops, lower the heat, and simmer for 2 minutes, until just cooked. With the skimmer, transfer the scallops to the bowl with the shrimp. Bring the poaching liquid back to a boil, add the calamari, and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, until just cooked. Be careful not to overcook any of the seafood or it will be tough! With the skimmer, transfer the calamari to the bowl.
• Bring the poaching liquid to a boil again, add the mussels, cover, and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, until all the shells have opened, discarding any that don't open. Turn off the heat and set aside until the mussels in the broth are cool enough to handle. Remove the mussels from the shells and add to the bowl. Add 12 of the shells to the seafood and discard the rest. Set aside 1/2 cup of the poaching liquid, discarding the rest. Drain the seafood in a colander and put it all back into the bowl.
• For the dressing, heat the olive oil in a medium (10-inch) saute pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute. (Be careful: Overcooked garlic will be bitter.) Add the tomatoes and cook over medium heat for 2 more minutes. Add the reserved poaching liquid, the limoncello, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook for 1 more minute. Pour the sauce over the seafood and toss gently. Add the fennel and parsley. Cut a lemon in half lengthwise, cut it thinly crosswise, and add it to the salad. Toss gently to combine and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 3 hours or overnight.
• To serve, sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and the juice of the remaining lemon. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.

MIXED SEAFOOD PASTA

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions for al dente.
• Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, lobster and calamari and season with salt and pepper. Sear on each side for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
• Add the tomato strips, capers, thyme, rosemary, garlic and onion to the skillet and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring often to ensure the vegetables don't brown. Deglaze with the white wine, then add the cream. Bring to a simmer and allow the sauce to simmer and thicken about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the spinach to the sauce and stir so it begins to wilt. Drain the cooked pasta and add it to the skillet. Add the seafood and any juices on the plate. Add the Parmesan, parsley and lemon zest, turn off the heat and toss everything together until nicely coated in the sauce. Garnish the pasta with more Parmesan, parsley and lemon zest. Serve directly from the skillet.

CAESAR SALAD

Steps:

• For the dressing: Place the anchovies into a blender or food processor. Throw in the Dijon mustard, vinegar, Worcestershire, garlic and lemon juice. Pulse the processor or blend on low speed for several seconds. Scrape down the sides.
• With the food processor or blender on, drizzle the olive oil into the mixture in a small stream. Scrape down the sides. Add the Parmesan, salt and a generous grind of black pepper. Pulse the whole thing together and mix until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate the dressing for a few hours (it just gets better!) before using it on the salad.
• For the croutons: Slice the bread into thick slices and cut them into 1-inch cubes. Throw them onto a baking sheet.
• Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan or skillet over low heat.
• Crush-but don't chop-the garlic and add them to the oil. Use a spoon to move the garlic around in the pan. After 3 to 5 minutes, turn off the heat and remove the garlic from the pan.
• Slowly drizzle the olive oil over the bread cubes. Mix together with your hands, and then sprinkle lightly with salt. Toss and cook in the pan until golden brown and crisp. (Add a little butter for more flavor!)
• For the salad: Wash and dry the hearts of romaine lettuce. Leave them whole. Use a vegetable peeler and shave off large, thin slices of Parmesan.
• Drizzle about half of the dressing over the top of the hearts. Throw in a good handful of the Parmesan shavings. Give it a good initial toss, just so you can evaluate how much more dressing you need.
• Add more dressing and Parmesan to taste. Add the cooled croutons. Toss gently.