When warm weather hits, the last thing many of us want to do is turn on a hot oven. These are the days when entrée salads served for dinner have much appeal.
Here is a salad recipe that is rich and filling enough to satisfy dinnertime appetites, but summerlike refreshing at the same time, thanks to the addition of grapes. Grapes have a juicy sweetness that complements the mild flavor of shrimp, and their crisp bite adds to the crunch of the celery and water chestnuts. The grapes also have a nice tang that contrasts with the full-bodied dressing.
This recipe from the California Table Grape Commission is perfect for a party on the patio, served either by itself or alongside whatever you’re grilling up on the barbecue. Enjoy it in different ways: mound the salad onto butter lettuce leaves, mix it with baby greens, or–for an especially summer-y treat, place a scoop inside an avocado half.
Coastal Salad with Grapes and Shrimp
1 pound large pink bay shrimp, cooked
1 cup seedless California grapes, quartered
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped water chestnuts
2 each green onions, sliced, white and green parts kept separate
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons dry sherry
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Few drops toasted sesame oil
Pinch dry mustard
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, grapes, celery, water chestnuts and the sliced whites of the green onion. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sherry, salt, pepper, sesame oil and dry mustard. Gently mix with shrimp and grape mixture. Sprinkle with the sliced green part of the onion and the sesame seeds. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 4.
Nutritional analysis per serving: Calories 227; Protein 25 g; Carbohydrate 13 g; Fat 8 g; 31% Calories from Fat; Cholesterol 226 mg; Sodium 457 mg; Potassium 362 mg; Fiber 3 g.