SHRIMP LOUIS—A CLASSIC SUMMER SALAD

This delicious seafood salad started life as Crab Louis in either Seattle or San Francisco, depending on which turn-of-the-century story you like.  At first, a very special event restaurant dish—but it wasn’t long before it made its way into West Coast cookbooks.  Crab Louis was called a “restaurant specialty” that could easily be made at home.  Shrimp and blue crab became easy stand-ins for the Pacific Dungeness crab—and Shrimp Louis was born.  The dressing is key as the tangy counterpoint to the sweet seafood.  Recipe is easily adjusted up or down to suit your table.

Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• ½ cup cocktail or chili sauce
• 1 tblsp horseradish
• 2 tblsp green onions, very finely sliced
• 2 tblsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Salad

• 1 to 1 ½ lb cooked shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 4 cups lettuce, sliced or chopped
• 2 tomatoes, cut into wedges
• 4 hard boiled eggs, cut into wedges and/or sliced into thick rounds
• Avocado slices
• Capers
• Lemon wedges for serving

Combine all the dressing ingredients—cover and chill for at least an hour.  Set shrimp aside in bowl, cover and chill.  Arrange remaining salad ingredients on a large platter, leaving space here and there for the shrimp.  Just before serving, toss the shrimp with ¼ cup of the dressing and arrange on salad platter.  Pass remaining dressing at the table.

The Kitchen Hive