This is not only a fresh and delicious salad, it’s not expensive, easy to make and can be made ahead of time…which makes this a favorite of mine. I am always thrilled to cook alongside The Cliff House Executive Chef, Justin Boudouin, watching how he plates, seasons, and turns out wonderful dish after wonderful dish. Sometimes I include less expensive ingredient substitutions for some of his for those on a budget but this recipe is already a fairly inexpensive dish so I don’t need to. Safeway often has shrimp on sale for $5 a pound but for pricing purposes, I’ve calculated it at $6.99 a pound, which you can always find. I think one of the reasons this tastes so fabulous is because of how Chef uses all the seasonings…I’d keep this recipe “as is” without any substitutions. With grocery prices this week and calculating the shrimp at $6.99 a pound, this recipe came in at approximately $5.75. I always use a whole pound of shrimp and double the other amounts because I know I’m going to eat a ton!
You can serve this of course on a croissant or over a bed of greens as an entrée but it’s easy to turn this into appetizers too, making the salad go further. Some ways you can serve this as an appetizer or buffet item is to serve it in cucumber cups, stuff grape tomatoes, or serve on toast points. For a fun way to serve them on a buffet table, fill up votive candle holders or mini muffin tins.
And if you’re not on a budget or don’t like shrimp, you can make this with lobster or crab.
SHRIMP SALAD –
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound cooked shrimp (71 – 90 shrimp bag size)
- 1/4 cup red and yellow pepper (small dice)
- 1/8 cup red onion (small dice)
- 1/8 cup chives (small dice)
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon sweet chili sauce
- 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) Dijon mustard
- 1 ounce Worcestershire (2 tablespoons)
- 1.5 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Directions:
It is important to cut all vegetables the same size so you will have all the flavors evenly through the mixture. Mix Add mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, mustard, Worcestershire, old bay, pepper and lemon juice in a bowl. Add the peppers, onion and chives and mix. Add shrimp and mix.
Serve on a croissant, over a bed of greens or with fresh avocado. (Or with the above ideas.) Chef says, “However you decide to serve the shrimp salad, just remember to have fun and make it yours.”
* To make cucumber cups…
Wash cucumber and cut 2″ chunks. Hollow out with a small spoon or melon baller, making sure you leave a bottom layer.
** To make point toasts…
Spread softened, unsalted butter on thin-sliced bread slices. Trim crusts off the bread. Slice bread in halves on the diagonal twice, to form 4 triangles. Lay on a cookie sheet and pop in a 350 degree oven. Toast approximately 1 to 2 minutes or until golden and crisp on top. Flip and cook about 1 more minute.