Food Network Magazine (July/August 2014)
Last year, we spent the Fourth of July in Las Vegas with 10 friends for a bachelor party. The year before, the two of us were on the beach in Provincetown, on Cape Cod.
This year we spent the Fourth at home. It was just what we needed. Between work trips, a vacation and visits to see family, the two of us traveled a heckuva lot this spring and early summer. What we wanted and needed most was some downtime at home.
Our Fourth weekend was fantastic in a gloriously low-key way. The weather was insanely nice -- definitely the most pleasant Fourth either of of us can remember. We walked around town, saw some friends, saw D.C.'s beautiful fireworks show, grilled out a couple times, ate an ice cream sandwich, caught a movie (at a pop-up theater!), kayaked on the Potomac, and went to the pool.
And we made this Shrimp and Avocado Salad.
This is a salad that won't leave you feeling like you only had a salad. Thanks to the meaty shrimp and the fatty (the good kind!) avocado, it's very filling.
In fact, if we had one tweak, it would be to lessen and lighten the dressing, which includes mayo and, at least for us, too much of it. The salad is already so rich that this amount of mayonnaise dressing was a little overkill. Delicious, but overkill.
If we make this again, we'll probably cut the mayo down to 2 tablespoons and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the dressing. You'd still have the richness of the mayonnaise, but the dressing would be a little lighter.
At any rate, this is a great summer salad that's perfect for lunch on a long lazy weekend (fireworks optional).
Shrimp and Avocado Salad
Food Network Magazine (July/Aug 2014)
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(This photo: Food Network Magazine)
Total time: 30 mins
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced, plus 3 tablespoons
chopped celery leaves
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 limes
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 hass avocados, diced
1 5 -ounce package baby kale salad mix (about 8 cups)
1 small bunch radishes, thinly sliced
DIRECTIONS
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium high. Make the dressing: Combine the mayonnaise, celery leaves, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1 tablespoon water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Grate in the zest of 1 lime and squeeze in the juice.
Toss the shrimp with the vegetable oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a bowl. Arrange the shrimp on the grill and cook until pink and just firm, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to the bowl with the dressing; squeeze in the juice of the remaining 1/2 lime.
Add the sliced celery, avocados, salad mix and radishes to the bowl with the shrimp; toss to coat. Top with the remaining 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro.
