This week’s “lighter meal for 2014” is a shrimp salad with green beans, carrots, jicama, red onion and baby lettuce. Once everything is prepared, the salad is tossed in a creamy citrus avocado dressing and served up with lemon and avocado slices. I recommend using French style green beans, or haricot verts, if you can find them. They are more of a skinnier, baby green bean. But, if they aren’t available, any green bean will be fine. I’ve also used avocado oil in this recipe. But, as I’ve noted, you can easily substitute olive oil.
Shrimp Salad with Green Beans and Avocado Dressing
makes 4 entrée sized servings
Salad
1 lb Raw Shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cloves Garlic, peeled, smashed and minced
zest & juice 1 Lemon
1 tbl Fresh Orange Juice
1 tbl Basil, chiffondade
2 tsp Avocado Oil*
1/2 lb Green Beans, trimmed (ideally get haricot verts - skinny, French style, baby green beans)
1/2 lb Carrots, split and cut into strips
1 Baby Bok Choy
1 sm Red Onion, thinly sliced
1/3 lb Jicama, cut into strips
4 cu Baby Greens, packed
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Pepper
1/2 lg Avocado, thinly sliced
4 thin Lemon Slices, optional for garnish
Dressing
1/2 lg Avocado
2 tbl Fresh Orange Juice
1 tbl Orange Zest
1 tbl Basil
2 tsp Clam Juice
1 1/2 tbl White Vinegar
1 tsp Avocado Oil*
1/4 tsp Salt
Method
Place shrimp in a sealable bag or container. Add garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, orange juice and basil. Seal container, refrigerate, and marinade shrimp for 15 minutes.
Make the dressing by placing all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
Fill a medium sized pot with water and bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Separately, fill a large bowl with ice and water and set aside. Place green beans and carrots in the boiling water. Boil for 1 minute and then add bok choy and red onion. Continue to boil for an additional 30 seconds and then scoop everything from the pot with a long handled strainer and place in ice water. After 2 minutes, drain vegetables and place on paper towel to remove excess water. Transfer to a large bowl or salad bowl and add jicama and baby greens.
After shrimp have marinaded for at least 15 minutes, heat avocado oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add Shrimp and all the marinade ingredients and toss in the pan until shrimp are opaque and just cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow shrimp to cool, about 10 minutes.
Add shrimp and dressing to other ingredients. Toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and then transfer to four individual bowls. Garnish with avocado and lemon slices.
*Olive oil can be substituted for avocado oil
If you have any comments or questions, please send me an email at wayne@waynesweekend.com or follow me on Facebook or Twitter.
