Basque Salad
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
For the Salad
For the Dressing
For Serving
Saffron Aioli
Preparation
Step 1
Cover the potatoes with cold water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with a sharp knife, about 15 minutes. Drain; let cool completely.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 475°F. Heat sherry in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until warm, 2 to 5 minutes. Add saffron, and stir until it has dissolved. Set aside.
Step 3
Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet in oven 5 minutes. Season fish with salt and pepper; set aside. Remove skillet from oven, and add fish, skin side down. Drizzle with the sherry mixture. Add sausage and shallots. Roast 10 minutes. Remove from oven; brush fish with pan juices. Add clams and mussels. Roast until fish is cooked through and clams and mussels have opened, about 10 minutes (discard any shellfish that remain closed). Transfer skillet to a wire rack. Drizzle with lemon juice. Let cool 15 minutes.
Step 4
Arrange tomato slices on a platter. Cut cooled potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick rounds; arrange over tomatoes. Top with seafood mixture; reserve 2 tablespoons pan juices.
Step 5
Make the dressing: Whisk reserved pan juices, lemon juice, parsley, and basil in a medium bowl. Gradually add oil, whisking until emulsified.
Step 6
Drizzle salad with dressing. Serve with saffron aïoli and toasted baguette.
Saffron Aioli
Step 7
Put egg yolks, garlic, and saffron into a food processor; season with salt and pepper. Process until smooth. With processor running, gradually add oil, drop by drop at first, then in a slow, steady stream, until a thick mayonnaise forms. Mix in lemon juice. Transfer to a small dish. Serve at room temperature; do not leave unrefrigerated longer than 1 hour. Aïoli can be refrigerated, covered, up to 2 days.
