Recipe: Shrimp Lettuce Cups
WRAL reporter Brian Shrader and our own Lisa Prince feature seasonal recipes in their Local Dish segment using ingredients grown and available right here in North Carolina.
Summer and seafood seem to go hand-in-hand. According to NC Catch’s seafood availability chart – shrimp is a popular summer seafood. Here are some tips for selecting raw shrimp:
- Choose shrimp with translucent shells with grayish-green, pinkish-tan or pink tint.
- Shrimp should have a moist appearance, firm flesh and mild odor
- Avoid raw shrimp with blackened edges or black spots on the shell, bright red appearance or soft flesh.
For a delicious way to enjoy fresh shrimp, try this quick and easy recipe that would be the perfect appetizer, salad or light summer dinner.
- 1 pound unpeeled large shrimp, poached (recipe below) and then diced
- 4 oranges, sectioned
- 1 red pepper, thinly sliced
- 1⁄2 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 1⁄2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1⁄4 cup fresh mint, chopped
- 2 avocados, cubed
- 6 Boston lettuce leaves (or use torn Romaine lettuce)
- Citrus vinaigrette (see recipe below)
Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl; pour citrus vinaigrette over shrimp mixture, and gently toss to combine. Cover and chill 4 to 24 hours. Spoon the shrimp salad mixture into the lettuce cups, reserving the vinaigrette. Drizzle with reserved vinaigrette and top with avocado.
Citrus Vinaigrette:
Whisk together ¼ cup fresh orange juice, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 tablespoon country-style Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper.
Poach Shrimp Recipe:
Prepare ice bath for shrimp. Pour 4 quarts of water into a large pot; squeeze juice from 1 lemon halved. Stir in lemon halves, 1 tablesppon black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons salt; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; add shrimp, cover and let stand for 5 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Stir shrimp into ice bath and let stand 10 minutes. Peel, de-vein and dice into medium-sized pieces.
