Seafood salad

Seafood salpicón is a really impressive recipe: it works both as a delicious starter and as a light first course that will make a great impression. Virginia, author of Sweet&Sour, brings us her tips for preparing it — you will love it!

The dish I bring you today, the seafood salpicón recipe, is a staple on my table for New Year’s Eve dinner, because by this point we’re a bit overwhelmed with large dishes and sweets and we need, especially that night, something light and fresh that lets us continue the party beyond the grapes.

Seafood salpicón has the advantage that we can prepare it in advance and it opens the dinner in an elegant, light way. My trick, alongside quality shellfish — in this case I chose velvet crabs, prawns, and some octopus tentacles — is to use a flavorful fish such as monkfish, which enhances the taste of the sea. And of course a quality olive oil and vinegar must not be missing, as they will round out the dish, since we must remember it’s eaten raw.

Mini-casserole Le Creuset and Green Cosmos bowls and plates from Tokyo Design

When I make salpicón for summer lunches I like to add hard‑boiled egg, and sometimes replace the classic vinaigrette with a light mayonnaise‑type sauce. That’s not the case for New Year’s Eve dinner, when the shellfish should shine in all their glory.

Ingredients (for 4-6 people)

• 1 fresh tail of small monkfish or sapito (approx. 500gr)*
• 16 fresh prawns
• 4 fresh velvet crabs
• 2 octopus tentacles
• 2 spring onions
• ½ green pepper
• ½ red pepper
• Fresh parsley
• 175ml of Triolliva gourmet extra virgin olive oil
• Sherry vinegar Edmon Fallot (or any other that is mild)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Lime zest

*You can substitute fresh monkfish with frozen monkfish if it’s too expensive at this time of year, or with scorpionfish or fresh hake, which is quite affordable nowadays.

Le Creuset Damascus steel kitchen knife, Master Class round cutting board and Le Creuset mini cocottes

Preparation

1. Remove the skin from the monkfish if your fishmonger hasn’t already. Cut the monkfish tail into thick slices about 3 cm thick and boil them in salted water for 4 to 5 minutes from the moment the water returns to a boil. Set aside while it cools slightly.
2. Cook the velvet crabs. To boil them without bursting, put them into the water cold with the salt and count about 7 minutes from when it comes to a boil. Once cooked, set aside while they cool slightly.
3. Cook the prawns for 2 or 3 minutes from when it starts to boil, in salted water. Set aside.
4. Cut the octopus tentacles with kitchen scissors into bite‑sized cubes. Set aside.
5. Dice the peppers and spring onions into brunoise, either with a mandoline or a good knife. Set aside.
6. Prepare the vinaigrette by mixing the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a jar. Cover and shake to emulsify. Add the lime zest, which will give it a fresh touch.
7. Assemble the salpicón in a bowl, mixing the vegetables, flaked monkfish, the meat from the velvet crabs, the octopus and the prawns cut into two or three pieces.
8. Add the vinaigrette and mix well. Let rest for a few hours so the flavors settle.
9. Serve the salpicón in our Le Creuset mini cocottes, sprinkled with chopped fresh parsley and with a prawn tail for garnish.

Ready to start the New Year’s Eve dinner.

Virginia