SPICY SHRIMP AND LETTUCE SALAD

Busy spring days, starting to get warm—an easy salad makes a perfect front porch supper.  Sometimes we need reminding that the simplest things are really good!  Another bit of prep almost too easy to call a recipe.  A quick sauté of the spiced up shrimp, a very simple mayo based dressing—and that’s it.  Some iced tea or a cool white wine—a perfect spring evening.

• 1 ½ lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, rinsed and dried
• Old Bay seasoning, to taste
• Cajun seasoning, to taste.
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tblsp vegetable oil
• ½ cup mayonnaise, more or less
• Juice of ½ lemon, more or less
• ¼-1/2 tsp sugar
• A few capers, crushed
• 1 head of loose leaf lettuce, rinsed, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, rinsed, cut, and juices retained

Heat oil, add the shrimp and sprinkle with seasonings and salt and pepper.  Sauté until pink, flipping once.  Remove from heat and cool shrimp on plate.  (optional–if shrimp are large, slice in half lengthwise.)  Mix mayo with lemon, sugar and crushed capers, then toss with lettuce.  Add tomatoes and some of the juice—toss again.  Top with cooled shrimp ––serve immediately or refrigerate for ½ hour. 

The Kitchen Hive