Seafood Salad Martini With Vodka Habanero Dressing

NurseJaney's Note:

This was included in a Baltimore Sunpapers restaurant review several years ago, with professional-sized quantities, DH called the chef, and he kindly broke it down to more manageable proportions. All together, it is quite expensive, but a BIG hit at a "gourmet" dinner party. I found fairly inexpensive large martini glasses at Marshall's and Pier 1, heavy glass with a blue rim. A tad labor-intensive, but worth it.

• Total Time: 5 hrs
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

• 1 whole fresh habanero pepper , seeded and chopped
• 1 ripe mango , peeled and cubed
• 1 sweet red pepper , seeded and diced
• 1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 carrot , peeled and diced
• 1⁄8; cup dry mustard
• 2 ½ tablespoons light brown sugar , packed
• 1⁄8; cup cider vinegar
• 4 tablespoons vodka , unflavored
• 2 ½ garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• ½ teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon catsup
• 3 lbs fresh seafood , of choice (steamed or cooked)
• 8 slices celery , julienned
• 8 lemon twists
• ½ lb lump crabmeat

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients EXCEPT seafood, and lemon and celery garnish, in a large saucepan, bring to boil and simmer for 1 hour.
2. NOTE: Combination of shrimp,scallops, mussels, and or lobster, to equal 3 pounds.
3. Puree in blender or food processor: taste and adjust seasonings.
4. NOTE: Habenero and Scotch Bonnet chilies are among the hottest available. Jalapeño is milder, if preferred. Use gloves to handle raw.
5. Cool dressing for 1 hour before serving.
6. To assemble: In a beautiful martini glass. Layer seafood and dressing to top of glass.
7. Any left over sauce may be saved and frozen.
8. Chill at least 2 hours before serving.
9. Garnish with celery and lemon twists.
10. Top with 1 ounce of crab meat per serving.

Reviews

[Rita~]

HOT stuff! In heat and taste! I used 2 fresh tomatoes for the canned and used 3 garlic cloves for I didn`t want toss exclude the 1/2. Served the sauce on shrimp and mussles on a bed of lettuce. This makes a lot so cut the recipe down or be prepared to freeze some.

[Peter J]

Wow! I used prawns, scallops and mussels and the sauce was just superb! The only change I made was to top with a little tinned red salmon because I didn't have crabmeat, that worked really well. For anyone put off by the Habanero it's not especially hot by the time it's seeded and boiled and certainly doesn't overpower the seafood, it's more of a warm dish. I made the full amount of sauce but used half the amount of seafood and have frozen the remaining sauce as suggested, next time I'll try with some lobster as well. Apart from serving in martini glasses this would make a really nice finger food wrapped in some nice fresh lettuce, or maybe rolled up in some rice paper.