Tuesday, August 7, 2018

Applebee’s California Shrimp Salad

Don’t you go to certain restaurants for a particular item on their menu?

I loved Wendy’s Pulled Pork Sandwich with lots of slaw and your choice of sweet, spicy or smoky BBQ sauce. This sandwich is/was only offered in the fall.

I go to O’Charleys for their Chicken Harvest Soup and rolls. You can only get this soup on Monday or Tuesday.

 Syd’s in Noblesville, Indiana for their Chicken Salad Melt (this is the sandwich I first discovered at a restaurant in Southern Indiana, but like all good things the restaurant decided to go Asian and changed their menu, bye bye Chicken Salad Melt)

This is another story of something good that is no longer offered. WHY did Applebees take this delicious California Shrimp Salad off their menu!?!?!?  I know Applebees is notorious for taking good items off their menu, but in my book this was the worst. So, I’m going to make it myself 🤨, how about you? Makes 2 large salad plates.

Ingredients:

1 head of Boston Bibb lettuce, rinsed and divided
1 2.25 oz black olives, drained
1 small container of cherry tomatoes (smallest I’ve seen is 10.5oz)
3 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 avocado, pitted and sliced
1 1/2 lb of shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked
Shrimp spices of your choosing (paprika, creole seasonings, garlic powder, cayenne pepper (if you like them spicy, salt and pepper too name a few)
2-3 hard-boiled eggs, quartered

Avocado Dressing:

1 avocado, pitted and mashed
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

Dressing Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Salad Directions:

Cook your shrimp:

1. If frozen, thaw the shrimp. If your shrimp are frozen, place them in a colander in the sink and run cold water over them for about 5 minutes. Toss the shrimp occasionally to make sure they are all exposed to the cold water.

2. The shrimp will bend easily when thawed. The shrimp is thawed and ready when they are no longer frozen solid but soft, easily bendable, and slightly translucent. This will only take a few minutes. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels.

3. Warm the oil or butter over medium-high heat. Place the oil or butter in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Tilt the pan as the oil warms, or butter melts, to coat the bottom of the pan.

4. Add the shrimp to the hot pan. When the butter is melted or the oil moves around the pan easily, add the shrimp. They should sizzle on contact (if not, warm your pan a little longer next time).

5. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the shrimp. Be generous! You can also add any other seasonings at this point — chili spice, curry spice or any other seasonings in your cupboard.

6. Sauté the shrimp until pink and opaque. The shrimp will start off looking grey and translucent, but will gradually become pink and opaque as they cook through. The tails will also turn bright red. Cook the shrimp, stirring frequently, until the flesh is totally pink and opaque, and you see no more grey bits. Depending on the size of your shrimp and how many you have in the pan, this will usually take 4 to 5 minutes. Remove to a paper towel.

Prepare your salad:

On two large salad plates divide the rinsed Boston bibb lettuce, add the tomatoes, crumbled bacon, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, black olives and shrimp. Drizzle with your homemade avocado dressing. Yum Yum!


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