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Mediterranean Seafood and Potato Salad

An easy Italian one-pot seafood salad — mussels, shrimp, scallops and red potatoes served warm over greens with a reduced-broth dressing.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients
  

The Seafood
  • 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil divided
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 3 cloves garlic sliced
  • 1/2 lemon plus another 1/2 for dressing
  • 2 stalks fennel stalks cut lengthwise
  • 1 lb black mussels scrubbed and debearded
  • 6-8 large shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 4-6 large sea scallops
  • 12 small red-skinned potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces
The Dressing
  • 1-2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice from the remaining 1/2 lemon
  • 2 Tbsp fresh oregano finely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
  • 1 tsp sea salt or to taste
  • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or to taste
The Salad
  • 7-8 oz arugula or salad greens of your choice
  • 1 small fresh fennel bulb thinly sliced (a mandolin helps)
  • 12+ grape or cherry tomatoes
  • Simple salad dressing: 3 Tbsp olive oil, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, garlic/onion powder, salt & pepper

Method
 

  1. Steam the Mussels: In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, combine 1/4 cup olive oil, the white wine, 1/2 lemon squeezed and dropped in, sliced garlic, and fennel stalks. Add the cleaned mussels, cover tightly and steam over high heat for 3–4 minutes until the shells pop open. Transfer mussels to a bowl (discard any that didn't open), leaving the broth in the pot. Once cool, remove mussels from their shells.
  2. Poach the Shrimp: Bring the seafood broth back to a gentle simmer. Drop the shrimp in and cook 2–3 minutes until pink and opaque. Do not overcook. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the mussels.
  3. Poach the Scallops: Place scallops in the simmering broth. Cook 2–3 minutes until just opaque throughout. Remove and add to the seafood bowl.
  4. Boil the Potatoes: Add cut potatoes to the same broth (add a splash of water if needed to cover). Boil 10–12 minutes until tender but firm. Remove with a slotted spoon and add to the seafood. Discard fennel and lemon.
  5. Reduce the Dressing: Simmer the remaining broth over medium-high heat until reduced to a concentrated glossy liquid (about 1/4 cup). Pour into a small bowl and whisk in the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, garlic/onion powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.
  6. Toss and Assemble: Pour the warm reduced dressing over the seafood, potatoes, oregano and parsley. Toss gently so the warm potatoes absorb the flavor. In a separate bowl, lightly toss the greens, fennel and tomatoes with the simple salad dressing.
  7. Serve: Arrange the dressed greens on a platter or in individual bowls. Top with generous spoonfuls of seafood and potato. Serve immediately with crusty bread, or refrigerate 1–2 hours and remove 30 min before serving.

Notes

Buying mussels: look for tightly closed shells; tap any open ones — if they don't close, discard. Prep the seafood a few hours ahead if you like, but the final assembly is best done right before serving so the warm potatoes wilt the herbs.