Seafood Pasta Salad with Lemon-Dill Dressing

2 T. olive oil
1 t. salt
1 lb. small pasta shells
1/4 lb. Chinese snow peas, julienned
1 c. water
1 c. dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1 lb. raw medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and julienned
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 c. whole black olives, pitted
1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned
1/2 lb. cooked Dungeness crabmeat, torn into small pieces

For Dressing:
3 T. finely chopped fresh dill
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. lemon juice
1/2 c. olive oil
1 t. salt
1/4 t. finely ground pepper

Add 1 T. olive oil and salt to large pot of boiling water. Add pasta shells and cook over high heat 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and remove to a bowl of ice water mixed with 1 T. olive oil until cool. Drain thoroughly.

Immerse snow peas in a small saucepan of boiling water and boil 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon to a strainer. Pour cold water over to stop cooking process. Drain thoroughly. Place in a large bowl.

Immerse carrots in boiling water and boil 3 minutes. Drain and pour cold water over to stop cooking process. Drain thoroughly. Place in large bowl with snow peas.

Combine water, wine, and bay leaf in medium saucepan and bring to boil. Add shrimp and cook over low heat for 3 to 5 minutes or until shrimp are pink on outside and just cooked in center. Remove with slotted spoon to bowl.

Immerse red pepper in shrimp-cooking liquid and boil 1 minute. Drain and pour cold water over pepper to stop cooking process. Drain thoroughly. Put in large mixing bowl. Add onion, olives, carrot, and crabmeat.

For Dressing: Combine dill, garlic, and lemon juice in small bowl. Whisk in olive oil slowly until blended. Season with salt and pepper.

Add drained pasta to large mixing bowl. Add dressing and toss to coat ingredients. Taste for seasoning. Chill or serve at room temperature.

Advance preparation: May be kept up to 4 hours in refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.

Source: The Cuisine of California, Diane R. Worthington, 1983

Prepared by: Julieta for the May 2001 meeting