Thursday, April 08, 2010

Cool Shrimp and Avocado Salad for a Hot Day

Apologies for being a bit out of touch blog-wise. I've actually been trying to juggle being out of town twice in the last few weeks, coping with job loss, and dealing with being overloaded in general. It hasn't all been bad, though. I managed to squeeze in a hands-on cooking class on fish at Astor Center during all that chaos.

One of the beneficiaries of this last activity, was my friend who hosted me at the beach over Easter weekend. I recreated one of the dishes that we made in the class: Shrimp and Avocado Salad in Citrus Vinaigrette. I think that I enjoyed it even better the second time around. This is the perfect hot summer recipe and has been a great, light lunch for me this week as the temperatures around here have climbed into numbers that we're not supposed to see around these parts until July.


The purpose of this recipe was to demonstrate peeling, cleaning, and cooking shrimp. Having made these since I was young enough to reach the stove, I didn't need the practice, but I enjoyed the results of the dish at the end. I did learn, however, how to segment fruit, something I've never been taught. It wasn't as difficult as I thought it might be, but it was messier than I'd expected.

For those fortunate enough to have one, the shrimp could be prepared on skewers on the grill, which would make a wonderful, and slightly different presentation. A glass of a chilled light white wine would make a refreshing accompaniment to the combination of ripe creamy avocados and warm meaty shrimp served in crisp cool lettuce leaves covered with a tangy dressing.

Buon appetito!

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