Paella Couscous Salad

With Spanish Chorizo, Shrimp & Scallops

Serves 6

This is another dish I served at my annual Holiday Party this past December

For Salad

2 tablespoons extra-virgin Olive Oil

1/2 pound of Spanish chorizo (spicy cured pork sausage; cut into    1/4 inch dice)

1/2 cup finely chopped shallot

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 1/2 cujp chicken broth

1/2 cup white wine

3/4 pounds medium in shell, peeled and deveined

3/4 pounds sea scallops, tough muscle removed from side of each if necessary, halved crosswise (quartered if large)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 (10-oz) box couscous (1 1/2 cups)

1/4 teaspoon crumbled saffron threads

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1 large red bell pepper, finely diced

1 cup coarsely chopped drained pimiento-stuffed green olives 

(5-oz)

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (Italian)

 

For Dressing:

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup exxtra-virgin olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon balck pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

 

Make Salad 

-Heat oil in large heavy skillet, until hot but not smoking, then saute the chorizo and shallot, stirring, until chorizo is golden brown on edges. Add garlic and saute, stirring 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, scraping out skillet with a rubber spatula.

-Bring broth and wine to a boil in a 2 1/2 quart saucepan and cook shrimp, covered, until just cooked through, about 45 seconds. Transfer to a small bowl.

-Bring liquid in saucepan back to a boil and cook scallops covered

until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer scallops with slotted spoon to bowl with shrimp and pour any liquid accumulated in bowl back into pan. Add lemon juice to seafood, then add salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine.

-Put couscous in a metal bowl. Reserve 1 3/4 cup cooking liquid in saucepan and discard remainder. 

-Add saffron and bring liquid to a boil and pour over couscous. Let stand covered tightly with plastic wrap, 5 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork and add to chorizo. Stir in peas, bell pepper, olives and seafood and toss to combine.

 

Make Dressing: 

-Blend lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt black pepper, and cayenne in a blender until smooth and pour over seafood salad, tossing to combine well. let stand 30 minutes at room temperature to allow couscous to absorb dressing. Stir in parley and season salad with salt and pepper.