Murder in Merino (29 page)

(The seaside knitters often order this at the Ocean’s Edge.)

Serves 6

Salad Ingredients

12 cups loosely packed arugula leaves (or 6 cups arugula, 6 cups spinach)

³
/
₄
cup diced celery

1
¹
/
₂
cups cherry tomatoes cut in half

1
¹
/
₂
pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined (about 25–30)

1 pound sea scallops (approximately a dozen); these can be cut in half if desired

2 cups croutons

freshly ground salt and pepper

3–4 T olive oil

2 T unsalted butter

For the dressing

2 cups loosely packed torn basil leaves

5 T chopped parsley

3 T olive oil

1
¹
/
₂
T lemon juice

zest of one lemon

2 T white wine vinegar

1 t minced garlic

2 t stone-ground Dijon mustard

1 shallot, thinly sliced

freshly ground salt and pepper

Preparation

Dressing

Heat the olive oil over medium heat; add lemon zest and shallot; cook, stirring, for 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in remaining ingredients. Adjust seasonings to taste and set aside.

Seafood

Heat 2 T olive oil and 1 T butter in large skillet over high heat.

Dry scallops thoroughly and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

When oil is hot, gently add scallops, making sure they don’t touch one another. Sear the scallops on each side for approximately 1
¹
/
₂
minutes. They should have a golden crust on each side and be opaque in the center. Remove from pan and put in a bowl.

Reduce heat to medium high and add 1 T butter and 1–2 T olive oil to pan. Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper and add to pan. Turn several times until shrimp turn pink and are opaque in the center, about 3–4 minutes. Don’t overcook.

Assembly

Combine greens, herbs, celery, and tomatoes in a large bowl. Add scallops and shrimp. Toss lightly.

Drizzle with warm dressing and toss to coat. Add salt and pepper if needed and sprinkle croutons on top.

Serve with a smile.