Seafood Salad Recipe

Prepare seafood

Pat shrimp and scallops dry with paper towels. Season both lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper.

Sear scallops and shrimp

Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add scallops, spacing them so they don't touch; cook 1.5–2 minutes without moving until a golden crust forms, flip and cook another 1–1.5 minutes until opaque. Transfer to a plate. In the same skillet, add shrimp and cook 1–2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove and let cool. If using pre-cooked seafood, simply chill and drain excess liquid.

Add crab meat

Gently fold lump crab meat into a bowl — do not overmix to keep lumps intact. If crab is refrigerated in liquid, drain and pat dry before using.

In a large salad bowl combine mixed salad greens, sliced cucumber, halved cherry tomatoes, and thinly sliced red onion. Add chopped dill and parsley. Toss gently to mix.

Make the dressing: whisk together 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 2 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tsp honey, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon as needed.

Dress the salad greens and vegetables: pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the greens and toss gently to coat. Reserve the remainder for the seafood and plating.

Combine seafood and dressing: place seared shrimp, scallops, and lump crab in a medium bowl. Add the remaining dressing (about 1/3) and gently toss to coat the seafood without breaking up the crab lumps.

Plate the salad: divide the dressed greens among 4 plates (serving suggestions below). Arrange the dressed seafood on top of each portion of greens. Scatter capers over the salads and sprinkle lemon zest. Finish with an extra grind of black pepper if desired.

Serve immediately while scallops and shrimp are still slightly warm, or chill for up to 30 minutes for a cold seafood salad.