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A big, beautiful FAST & EASY main dish salad ~ perfect for hot summer nights ~ adaptable for any size family or group (and a beautiful presentation on a buffet table). I use storebought salad dressing (I've shown a few possibilities, but my favorites are any Girard's vinaigrette varieties). The little bags of tiny cooked salad shrimp were on sale @ Kroger for only $1.50, so I bought a bunch of them to keep in the freezer.
There's a button link at the bottom to my directions for making RADISH ROSES. I usually have a bowl of them in cold water, in my refrigerator. My husband loves to grab one when he's looking for a snack, but they also "dress up" whatever salad you're serving.
My directions were for 2 people, but just add more of whatever you want to adjust to the number of people that you want to serve. The preparations ("mise en place" ~ if you watch Food Network, you've heard Anne Burrell use that term quite often) can be done hours ahead, and then assembly done right before serving (just keeping the lettuce in the fridge to stay cold).
SHRIMP NICOISE SALAD
about 1/4 small iceberg lettuce, chiffonade (thinly sliced ~ using long serrated knife)
about 4-8 oz. small salad shrimp (cooked, cleaned & peeled)
handful or 2 of fresh green beans (or frozen whole beans, thawed ~ further direction below)
1 large or 2 small red potatoes, sliced (if large, cut in half & then slice)
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced........................Radish Roses (button link to recipe below)
1 very large Big Boy tomato, cut in half & thinly sliced (or several Roma, thinly sliced)
sprigs of fresh herbs (& can chop to put on top of salad) for garnish (I used thyme)
1 bottle your choice vinaigrette-type dressing
***
TIPS: You'll need 3 small/medium bowls to put stuff in before assembling ~ then a large salad bowl (preferably a wide, flatter bowl) later for serving.
GREEN BEANS: If they're fresh, then cut off ends (on a diagonal) and micro-steam for about 2-3 minutes. Then put some of the dressing on the hot beans and toss. ** If they're frozen, either thaw & heat in microwave about 2 minutes (or cut end off bag of frozen beans ~ fill with hot water & let sit a few minutes ~ drain & then heat for 2 minutes). Put beans in a bowl with a little dressing & toss so the hot beans absorb the dressing. ** Set aside.
EGGS & POTATOES: I sliced the potato and put the slices into cold salted water (in a saucepan) with 4 eggs. Then heated to boiling ~ let it boil a few minutes (potato slices should be fork-tender) ~ remove from stove. ** Put potatoes in a bowl with some of the dressing & toss so potatoes absorb the dressing. Drain the hot water from pan, and add cold water ~ let the eggs sit in there a few minutes before peeling. You can slice them in quarters (length-wise) now, or wait until you're ready to assemble & serve.
ASSEMBLY:
Chiffonade lettuce spread evenly on the bottom. Then each topping in it's own "group" on the lettuce ~ putting the radish roses wherever they look the prettiest.
There's a button link at the bottom to my directions for making RADISH ROSES. I usually have a bowl of them in cold water, in my refrigerator. My husband loves to grab one when he's looking for a snack, but they also "dress up" whatever salad you're serving.
My directions were for 2 people, but just add more of whatever you want to adjust to the number of people that you want to serve. The preparations ("mise en place" ~ if you watch Food Network, you've heard Anne Burrell use that term quite often) can be done hours ahead, and then assembly done right before serving (just keeping the lettuce in the fridge to stay cold).
SHRIMP NICOISE SALAD
about 1/4 small iceberg lettuce, chiffonade (thinly sliced ~ using long serrated knife)
about 4-8 oz. small salad shrimp (cooked, cleaned & peeled)
handful or 2 of fresh green beans (or frozen whole beans, thawed ~ further direction below)
1 large or 2 small red potatoes, sliced (if large, cut in half & then slice)
4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced........................Radish Roses (button link to recipe below)
1 very large Big Boy tomato, cut in half & thinly sliced (or several Roma, thinly sliced)
sprigs of fresh herbs (& can chop to put on top of salad) for garnish (I used thyme)
1 bottle your choice vinaigrette-type dressing
***
TIPS: You'll need 3 small/medium bowls to put stuff in before assembling ~ then a large salad bowl (preferably a wide, flatter bowl) later for serving.
GREEN BEANS: If they're fresh, then cut off ends (on a diagonal) and micro-steam for about 2-3 minutes. Then put some of the dressing on the hot beans and toss. ** If they're frozen, either thaw & heat in microwave about 2 minutes (or cut end off bag of frozen beans ~ fill with hot water & let sit a few minutes ~ drain & then heat for 2 minutes). Put beans in a bowl with a little dressing & toss so the hot beans absorb the dressing. ** Set aside.
EGGS & POTATOES: I sliced the potato and put the slices into cold salted water (in a saucepan) with 4 eggs. Then heated to boiling ~ let it boil a few minutes (potato slices should be fork-tender) ~ remove from stove. ** Put potatoes in a bowl with some of the dressing & toss so potatoes absorb the dressing. Drain the hot water from pan, and add cold water ~ let the eggs sit in there a few minutes before peeling. You can slice them in quarters (length-wise) now, or wait until you're ready to assemble & serve.
ASSEMBLY:
Chiffonade lettuce spread evenly on the bottom. Then each topping in it's own "group" on the lettuce ~ putting the radish roses wherever they look the prettiest.
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