In the Kitchen:
Classic shrimp salad — cold, light and tasty — is perfect summer fare

There is nothing more satisfying than serving up refreshing summer classic dishes on hot summer days. Well, maybe there is one thing … eating them.

I am a big fan of seafood if you haven’t noticed, especially during the summer season. I prefer all kinds, cooked all sorts of ways, but I find certain kinds of seafood to be most satisfying served cold. (Shrimp being one of them.) Shrimp cocktail is a simple way to cool off and have a refreshing decadent snack. I love dipping the chilled little crustaceans into a spicy blend of chili sauce and spicy prepared horseradish.

I guess one could say shrimp is somewhat of a delicacy. They’re small, yet shrimp can be a bit on the pricey side — enjoyed every now and then unless perhaps you’re close with your local fish monger or know how to scope out a good deal at the local supermarket.

Now that we’ve gotten a good price on our shrimp there’s only one thing to do, make shrimp salad. I find this to be very refreshing and satisfying on a hot day. The key, of course, is to keep the shrimp very chilled. Keeping it on ice in the refrigerator can help in this process and give you a more exhilarating end result. Place the shrimp salad in a bowl and store that bowl right on top of a larger bowl that is one-third of the way filled with ice. This should keep your shrimp salad temperature low and cool.

The best part is you can eat shrimp salad any way you’d like. Simply over a bed of lettuce can create a lovely lunch or perhaps you’d like to be a bit more daring, toasting up a few New England rolls to help hold that satisfying salad. Personally, I prefer it served over a quartered piece of avocado. (Who am I kidding? I usually go for the whole half, stuffing it with a heaping spoonful of shrimp salad.) Nothing clears the sweat from your brow like a refreshing plate of summer shrimp salad.

Summer Shrimp Salad
Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 package of cooked shrimp, (31/40) defrosted
1/4 cup celery, small diced, leaves included
1 yellow or orange pepper, small diced
1/4 cup red onion, small diced
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon old bay seasoning
Juice of half a lemon
Handful of parsley, chopped fine
Salt
Pepper
1 avocado, halved, pitted and peeled. Slice into 4-6 portions
• In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, Worcestershire, dry mustard, old bay seasoning, juice of the lemon, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well to combine and set aside.
• Remove any tails or shells from the shrimp. Roughly chop the shrimp and place in a large bowl with the celery, peppers, onion and chopped parsley. Add the dressing and stir well to combine. If time allows refrigerate for three hours before serving. Serve over the sliced avocado.