The Washington Post
Cold seafood salad at the seashore is one of my favourite summer traditions. While strolling the beach has been curtailed this season, I still satisfied my craving for one half of that hot-weather combo.
Many styles of seafood salad exist, but I love to toss quick-cooking fish or shrimp in a bowl with something creamy, like mayonnaise or yoghurt, a few crunchy add-ins, like celery or water chestnuts, and then any variety of peppers, herbs and spices.
One of my favourites is this shrimp salad sandwich that plays like a homage to the lobster roll. It delivers that same juxtaposition of a chilled, creamy concoction tucked inside a warm, crispy buttered bun.
Traditional lobster rolls are pretty mild, letting that pricey crustacean be the star with just a few ingredients, such as mayonnaise, parsley and lemon. I take a few liberties with the concept. For one, I add corn into the mix because I love the bit of sweetness and colour it gives to the salad.
I started doing this back home in New Orleans, where I usually made this shrimp roll with leftovers from a summer boil that included very spicy corn on the cob in the big pot.
With the spiced-from-the-boil ingredients, the mixture had kick from the get-go. To get closer to that level of heat with stove-top boiled shrimp and frozen corn, I added more hot sauce this time as well as horseradish and cayenne. It delivers that same little tingle on the tongue.
If you like it milder, cut back a bit on those, combine the salad and then adjust the spiciness to suit your taste.
The salad tastes great on lettuces and on crackers, but I like it best on a griddled, top-split hot dog bun. It only takes a couple of minutes to brush the bread with softened butter and toast it face down in a skillet until it is golden.
The salad can be prepared a day ahead - in fact, it tastes even better after it rests a bit - but save the bun toasting until just before you serve the sandwich.
Storage:
The shrimp salad can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Make ahead:
The salad tastes best if refrigerated for at least 30 minutes before serving
1/4 cup mayonnaise, or more as desired
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
2 tablespoons horseradish
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, or more to taste
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more to taste
A few dashes of hot sauce (optional)
1-pound medium shrimp, boiled, peeled, deveined and roughly chopped (see NOTE)
1 cup frozen corn, defrosted (optional)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus more for optional garnish
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or more if needed, room temperature
6 split-top hot dog buns
Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Step 1
In a large bowl, combine the celery, mayonnaise, lemon juice, horseradish, salt, cayenne and hot sauce, if using, and stir well.
Step 2
Add the shrimp, corn, if using, and parsley, and toss until coated in the dressing. Taste and add more mayonnaise or adjust seasonings, if desired.
Step 3
When ready to serve, warm a large skillet over medium heat. Spread some butter on the insides of the buns. Gently press the buns, buttered side down, into the pan and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Then, close the bun and butter and toast the outside, if desired, about 2 minutes. Fill with the shrimp salad, garnish with the additional parsley, if desired, and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.
NOTE:
To cook the shrimp, peel and devein them, removing the tails. Bring a medium pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the shrimp and return to a boil. Lower the heat to medium-low and poach the shrimp until pink and curled, 2 to 3 minutes. Test a shrimp to see that it is done and opaque throughout, then drain. Cooking time may vary with the size of the shrimp.
Nutrition/calories:
297; Total Fat: 13 g; Saturated Fat: 3 g; Cholesterol: 180 mg; Sodium: 943 mg; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugars: 4 g; Protein: 20 g.
