Summer Seafood Pasta Salad

The perfect make ahead meal for family gatherings and picnics that's ready when you are! A colourful mix of veggies, a combination of seafoods and a light olive oil dressing to keep it healthy!

Ingredients:

6 cups large shell pasta

200g (almost 1 cup) crab or crab flavoured pollock 

120g (about 1/2 cup) solid white albacore tuna

227g (8 oz) cooked shrimp

2 large bell peppers, diced

1 medium red onion, diced 

1 English cucumber, diced 

2 celery stalks, diced 

1 cup roughly chopped marinated artichokes 

1 cup stuffed green olives 

200 ml (5 oz) canned sliced black olives

1 cup diced feta

A few fresh basil leaves, finely chopped 

And some fresh chopped parsley too

Dressing:

1 1/3 cups light olive oil 

4 tsps dry basil

4 tbsps parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 pieces sundried tomatoes, chopped 

6 tbsps white wine vinegar 

4 or 5 chives, chopped 

1 tsp sea salt 

1/2 tsp dry oregano 

2 pinches of sugar 

Using a food processor, whirl the dressing ingredients together until well combined and set aside.

Cook the pasta then rinse with cold water and drain. Prepare all the veggies. Drain the can of tuna and break into chunks. Slice the crab (flavoured pollock). And for the shrimp I simply defrosted a shrimp ring and removed the tails.

Add the pasta, veggies and seafood to a very large bowl, pour in the dressing and toss to combine coating everything with the dressing.

Chill at least 1 hour for the flavours to develop or even make it a day ahead of time. Just take it out of the fridge 15-20 minutes before serving, give it a toss and it's good to go!

Makes 10-12 servings

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Shrimp and Crab Appetizer

If seafood is your thing, you'll love this light shrimp and crab appetizer salad. And it couldn't be easier to prepare! Chop your veggies the day before, prepare the shrimp and store in the fridge. Then a few hours before serving mix everything together, garnish, cover and pop back in the fridge until serving time. Oh, and if you replace the shrimp with small ones this'll make a great sandwich filling!

Ingredients:

1 cup white crabmeat (may use canned, just drain well)

30 - 36/45 size cooked, frozen and thawed shrimp (300 g bag)

44 - 70/90 size cooked, frozen and thawed shrimp (300 g bag)

4 tbsps finely chopped red bell pepper

4 tbsps finely chopped celery

8 green onions, finely chopped

1/4 tsp celery seed

black pepper to taste

4 tsps lemon juice

3 tbsps mayonnaise

Garnish with smoked paprika, lemon wedge, celery leaves and reserved shrimp

This recipe makes 9 small appetizer salads so start off by reserving 9 - 36/45 size shrimps leaving the tail on. Take the tails off the rest of the shrimp. Chop the red bell pepper, celery and green onion and drain the crab. (So far this can be prepped the day before, just keep the veggies in their own ziplock baggie). 

When ready to make, mix together in a bowl then stir in the lemon juice, celery seed and black pepper.

Gradually add the mayo just until the mixture clings together. Add a little more than 3 tbsps only if needed.

Use a medium sized ice cream scoop to portion out servings. Top with reserved tail-on shrimp, sprinkle paprika and add the lemon wedge and celery leaf.

You can cover each serving dish with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4 or 5 hours.

Aren't they just so pretty?

Makes 9 starters

Adapted from: apriljharris.com

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Crazy Delicious Hot Crab Dip

Crazy delicious crab dip coming in HOT!  Old Bay seasoning, jalapeño Monterey Jack cheddar and Tabasco really spice things up!

Ingredients:

1/2 lb (227g) lump crab or crab flavoured pollock, chopped

6 oz cream cheese, room temperature

2 tbsps chopped chives

2 1/2 tbsps mayonnaise

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack jalapeño cheddar

1/4 cup parmesan, divided

3 tbsps lemon juice

1 tsp worcestershire sauce

2 tsp Old Bay seasoning

2 dashes of Tabasco sauce

1/2 tsp sea salt

Whip together the cream cheese, mayo, cheddar, 2 tbsps parmesan, lemon juice, worcestershire, Old Bay, Tabasco and salt. Then fold in the crab and 1 tbsp chopped chives. Spoon into a 6" baking dish or cast iron pan. Top with remaining parmesan. This can be made ahead of time, just remove from fridge and bring to room temperature before baking.

Bake in a 400°F oven for 25-35 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Garnish with the remaining chopped chives.

Serve with baguette slices or crackers.

Serves 4

It was part of our New Year's day dinner this year. Yum 😋

Pasta Crab Salad

This salad is so versatile.  You can switch up the crab (or imitation crab as is the case here) for salmon, tuna or even chicken.  

2 lbs previously cooked and chilled spaghetti
1/2 cucumber, cubed
1/2 onion, chopped
3/4 - 1 cup cooked broccoli 
3 radishes, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
1 small yellow pepper, diced
8 oz imitation crab, in chunks

iceberg lettuce
4-6 oz shredded havarti or cheddar cheese

Dressing:

1 cup olive oil
3 tbsps white wine vinegar
1 tbsp chopped onion
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsps dried basil
10 radish green leaves (good potassium and vitamin C)
2 tbsps parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp celery seed

Get your first 8 ingredients ready and toss them in a large bowl.
Whirl the dressing ingredients in a blender.

Mix together with the pasta and veggies. Coat well.

Put a layer of iceberg lettuce in the bottom of a serving bowl. A trifle bowl works well. Put half the salad on top and repeat with remaining lettuce and salad.

Top it all off with shredded cheese and chill at least 1 hour.