I like this and other seafood salads served at room temperature as soon as they are made, but most people like this dish chilled. If you are one of them, refrigerate it just long enough to chill it, a half-hour or so. Longer will dull the fresh flavors of the salad. Toss well and check the seasonings just before you serve it.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
For frozen scungilli
Step 1
First defrost the scungilli for several hours in the refrigerator. Put the scungilli in a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover them by two fingers. Drop in the bay leaves and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat to simmering and cook until a fork pierces the scungilli easily and slips right out, about 30 minutes.
For fresh scungilli
Step 2
Place the scungilli, still in their shells, in a large pot. Pour in enough water to cover by two fingers. Drop in the bay leaves and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat to simmering and cook 30 minutes. Remove one of the scungilli and, with a fork, try to pry the meat out of its shell. If it comes out easily and the fork slips out (as above), they are done. If not, continue cooking and check the scungilli for doneness every few minutes.
Step 3
Drain the scungilli, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid, and let them stand until cool enough to handle. Clean the scungilli: Remove the hard, round cartilage from the fat end of the conch. Look for the brown digestive sac that curls along the outer curved side of the tail, and remove that by scraping it out. Slice the cleaned scungilli thin lengthwise.
Step 4
Toss the sliced scungilli, celery, olives, garlic, hot pepper, and reserved cooking liquid in a large bowl. Add oil and vinegar, parsley, and salt, toss, and serve.
