Madhatter's Magnificent Market

Shrimp Zucchini Salad – What a treat this salad is for the shrimp lover.  Filled with bright flavors of dill and lemon.  This salad has bits of a crunchy texture within a creamy sauce.  Eat it as a stand alone full plate salad, a side dish, a butter leaf lettuce wrap or pair it with pasta.  This will soon be a favorite salad for your family.  Pairs well with a white wine, such as a citrusy Sauvignon Blanc.  (See also Summertime Fishin’).

Introducing a New Dish Amongst Holiday Favorites

This may seem just another recipe. An ordinary, everyday salad recipe. But in this case, how we came to this version of a shrimp salad is not at all ordinary. Easter was coming and everyone had been designated a dish to bring. Nothing unusual there. But all the dishes on the menu, those everyone promised to bring, were the same reliable favorites every Easter.

I wanted to bring something new to the holiday feast. Substantial, healthy — or semi-healthy, not another blend of leafy greens with a variety of added snack bits. My goal was also to have my family feel like they were being treated with a fancy salad. Moving away from our standard jello and fruit salads too.

The New Holiday Favorite

Using the same base from these collected recipes, I chose a few modifications. First, I love fresh zucchini and it works great with shrimp. Offering a crunchy texture. I opted to not mince the zucchini but leave it in bite-size chunks, smaller than the shrimp pieces, yet bigger than the minced red onion and celery. The point being to experience these crunchy tidbits.

Secondly, and the biggest change to the collection of the shrimp salad recipes, is my effort to reduce the prep time involved buy using frozen cooked peeled & deveined shrimp instead of fresh raw shrimp. I eliminated all that shrimp prep and boiling time. Then, to make the salad appear to have more shrimp, I cut each shrimp in half. It is a cost effective change too — budget friendly!

Ingredients:

(Serves 6-10)

4	lbs	(	pounds	)		large shrimp; deveined, peeled, tail off, pre-cooked (thawed)
1		(	medium	)		zucchini
1		(	large	)		lemon
2	c.	(	cup	)		mayonnaise
1	tsp.	(	teaspoon	)		dijon mustard
2	tbsp.	(	tablespoon	)		white wine or white wine vinegar
1	c.	(	cup	)		minced red onion (approx. 1 onion)
3	c.	(	cup	)		thinly sliced or chopped celery (approx. 6 stalks)
6	tbs.	(	tablespoon	)		fresh minced dill (equivalent to approx. 1 tube of dill paste)
						salt and black pepper to taste (recommend approx. 1tsp each)

What You Will Need:

1						large serving bowl
2						mixing bowl
1						wooden spoon
1						knife
1						cutting board
1						measuring cup
1						measuring spoon
1						mandolin
1						rasp/zester
1						food processor (optional)

 

Steps to Make Salad:

1. For frozen shrimp, thaw in refrigerator or under cold running water.
2. Drain shrimp.  Set aside in mixing bowl. (Set in refrigerator until later)
3. Uncooked shrimp can be boiled approximately 2-3 minutes in water with a lemon and 3 tablespoons salt if working with fresh shrimp rather than frozen pre-cooked.
4. In mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and white wine vinegar
5. Use knife and cutting board for uncooked zucchini;
6. Cut zucchini lengthwise in quarters, then dice to dime size bites
7. Add cut zucchini to mayonnaise wet mixture
8. Slice or use mandolin to thinly and evenly slice celery stalks.
9. Add sliced celery to mayonnaise wet mixture.
10. Use knife and cutting board for onion; mince well.
11. Repeat with dill; mince well.  Or squeeze dill paste directly into wet mixture.
12. Add these to the mixing bowl mayonnaise wet mixture.
13. Roll or massage lemon gently on counter or between hands to release juice in lemon.
14. Use rasp to zest lemon peel into the mixture.
15. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice into mixture.
16. Stir ingredients in mixing bowl.
17. Pour ingredients into a large serving bowl; gently add shrimp.
18. Stir thoroughly; chill for a few hours before serving.

To Serve:

The salad as described is intended for group serving.  A sprig of fresh dill to garnish is a nice finishing touch.

Other Options for Serving:

1. Serve the salad as a side choice on individual plates with a garnish.
2. Spoon larger full-size meal portions on individual plates with a garnish.
3. Rinse butter leaf lettuce, peel individual leaves and fill each leaf cup to present as a hand-held wrap.

Special Tips:

1.  Shrimp can be left whole for presentation purposes or can be cut in half for the appearance of more shrimp.  Halving the shrimp also makes it easier to feed a larger crowd.
2. Food processor makes mincing the onion and the dill together quick and easy.
3. Put the whole lemon in the microwave for 20-30 seconds and this will help release the juice.
4. If necessary, you can substitute the real lemon juice with a 1/4-1/2 tablespoon bottled lemon juice.  Start with the smaller amount and add as necessary to taste and desired dressing consistency.  You do lose the brightness from the lack of zest.

Pairing with White Wine

The light refreshing taste of this salad is best served with a white wine. Just as would be a creamy alfredo, especially a seafood alfredo. Shrimp and white wine are practically the point A and point B to make point C. Point C being the main event.

White Wine has Options

However, through my wine club, when I am in the mood for more of a fruity wine I lean towards a Pinot Grigio or a Moscato.

There is also a nice Sparkling Wine that is less citrus, more fruity, yet still light. And of course, a full and fruity, sweet and smooth classic Chardonnay.

There are more to choose from than those I have listed. Including a wide range of reds scaling from light, sweet and smooth to those full-bodied bold and beautiful reds. Regardless, your best selections of fine wine are available through my wine club at amazing membership discounts. Find out how to get FREE wine monthly too! (Stunning images of beautiful vineyards below).

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Health Benefits

Finding and incorporating healthy foods in our lives is not always easy.  Temptations of fried fatty treats are at every corner.  But who wants to be on a perpetual diet?  My approach is to look for foods I like and learn how they are beneficial for my health. Granted, I seek information on the ones I like.  I haven’t focused too much on foods I don’t like.  My list is in progress and includes spices and herbs.  I have data on vitamins too.  Its been a work in progress for a few years and a collaboration of multiple online sources.  Unfortunately, I didn’t think to document those and only extracted the essential benefits for my own purpose of reference.  But I’ll bet when you look around the internet enough, you will find similar resources, possibly the same.

This summary of collected tidbits from internet resources is not intended as a medical guide.  Only available beneficial information is shown, negative side effects and other warnings have not been included.  The effectiveness and accuracy of any health benefit are subject to opinion and varying outcomes from different studies and reports.  Refer to your medical provider or nutritionist when considering any changes.

The Diet Plan

By educating myself on the nutrition value, I am motivated to make healthier choices.  Obviously, all choices are meant to be in moderation and any diet changes should be approved by your medical provider.  However, I enjoy peas.  Fresh from the pod, chilled in salads, pureed in split pea soup.  The natural sugar of peas is a subtle sweet just perfect year round.  Here is why I am I will keep peas on my menu:

Peas – Reduces cholesterol, bone health, prevents constipation, support healthy blood vessels, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, blood sugar regulation, prevention of wrinkles, prevention of bronchitis, anti-aging, high energy, strong immune system, reduce risk for stomach cancer, high fiber, high protein, helps weight loss

I will take all the help I can get for preventing wrinkles.  Are you ready to add peas to your menu?  And for a snack, try dried wasabi flavored peas.  Keeps hunger pains at bay.  Watch the number on the scale drop.  Now you know my method for creating a nutritional diet plan.  Let’s discover health benefits for ingredients used to make the above salad.

Health Benefits of Shrimp Zucchini Salad Ingredients

Shrimp

Shrimp – a source of vitamin D, low calorie protein reduces overall appetite, promotes weight loss, anti-aging qualities such as macular degeneration, helps prevent hair loss, helps reduce risk of colon cancer, lung and prostate cancer, prevents menstrual cramping, good for bone health, helps boost memory performance, supports healthy nervous system, may help fight inflammation and depression

Zucchini

Zucchini – good source of fiber that helps reduce constipation and offers some protection against colon cancers (the peel), contains folate which can help prevent neural tube defects in the fetus, helps reduce blood pressure, helps counteract effects of sodium, helps maintain heart health, helps with weight loss, helps give energy and fewer headaches, guards against asthma, strengthens teeth and bones, lower cholesterol, helps protect from free radicals, good for healthy eyesight, reduces risk for age-related macular degeneration, helps produce collagen which is essential for wound healing,

Onion

Onion – improve immunity, regulate blood sugar, reduce inflammation, heal infections, raw onion helps produce good cholesterol (HDL), helps prevent cancer and reduce ulcer development,

Dill

Dill – soothes digestive tract, eases heart burn, colic and gas, treats bad breath, insomnia, hiccups, respiratory disorders, menstrual disorders, dysentery, diarrhea, bone and dental health, source of calcium, diuretic, relaxant, relieves cramps, stimulates lactation, eases flatulence, neutralizes carcinogens in cigarette smoke,  aids digestion,

Vinegar

Vinegar – shiny hair, kill warts, lower blood pressure, aid in cholesterol levels, apple cider vinegar mixed with honey and warmed, then dissolved and drank helps ease arthritis pain, weight loss (especially red wine vinegar; decreases blood sugar after a meal), helps body’s immune system (especially balsamic vinegar), fights heart disease and cancer, eases sunburn pain when applied to skin, aids in insulin sensitivity (diabetes control)

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