What’s Cookin’? Patty Millay’s Fresh & Zesty Shrimp Salad

Just call me “Bubba” from Forrest Gump because when it comes to shrimp, I will eat it any which way. Whether they are in fancy cocktail form or fried in a fritter, sign me up! Bang Bang, coconut, cajun, and every way in between.

This Shrimp Salad recipe is perfect for Lent lunches or baby showers and can be served in a variety of ways. You can tailor it to your preferred heat level and substitute any veggie ingredients you’d like, but here is how Ms. Patty Millay makes it, and boy howdy, it is OH SO delish!

Shrimp Salad Ingredients:

• 1 Medium ring of frozen shrimp cocktail (cooked, peeled, and deveined)
• 1 Pound of frozen salad shrimp (cooked, peeled, deveined, and tails off)
• 1 Lemon
• 4 Stalks celery
• 1 Red bell pepper
• 6 Radishes
• 1 Small red onion (optional)
• 1 Package fresh dill (0.5 oz)
• 1 Cup spicy mayonnaise (or regular mayo)
• 4 Tbl Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbl minced garlic
• 1/2 Cup shrimp cocktail sauce
• 1 Hearty pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt to taste if needed

Shrimp Salad Instructions:

1. Thaw all the shrimp, rinse and drain them well before assembling this dish.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add your two pounds of shrimp and make sure to pull any tails off.
3. Save the cup of cocktail sauce for later
4. Prepare the celery, red peppers, radishes, and onion into a small chop consistency.
5. Add the veggies to the shrimp and toss everything together.
6. Squeeze half a lemon over the shrimp mix and toss it well. Slice the other half for garnish and set aside.

Shrimp Salad Sauce Instructions:

1. To make the sauce, add the fresh dill (finely chopped with no stalks) to 1 cup of the spicy mayonnaise.
2. Add 4 tablespoons of Dijon mustard and 3/4 cup of shrimp cocktail sauce. The cup from your shrimp cocktail ring should be enough, but feel free to add more if you’d like.
3. Add in 2 tablespoons of minced garlic and a big pinch of red pepper flakes and salt to taste.

Mix the sauce with your shrimp mixture and put it in your favorite serving dish. Garnish with the remaining lemon sliced on top. This dish is best after a couple of hours in the refrigerator. You can easily make this in advance and let it chill overnight…

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