The Perpetual Feast

Cold marinated shrimp are a terrific food to serve at a party.  Almost everyone likes shrimp, it seems like they are a big splurge, and you can make them ahead.  You can make them fancier by arraying them on a platter with toothpicks in them as cocktail snacks, or, as I usually do, put them in a big bowl where people can scoop them out.

Now, I usually take the easy way out when I make party shrimp.  I take 2 pounds of cooked, peeled, tail off shrimp (yes, I’m too lazy to cook and peel), put them in a bowl. Pour about ½ bottle of interesting lower fat salad dressing – like Miso or ginger sesame –  over them and toss.  Refrigerate overnight.  Before you serve, sprinkle a couple of tablespoons of chopped cilantro and maybe 2 tablespoons of finely chopped green onion over the shrimp so that people think it is home-made, and toss again.  The fat grams are the number of grams in the salad dressing divided by 8.

This time I decided to make a more interesting dressing and combine the shrimp with a few other ingredients..

Quick Thai Party Shrimp

2 tart green apples, peeled, cored, and cut in thin strips
6 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
6Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh mint
4 teaspoons fish sauce or low sodium soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
½ teaspoon red pepper or to taste
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 pounds cooked, peeled, tail off medium shrimp, defrosted if frozen

In a large bowl, mix together lemon and lime juices, shallot, cilantro, mint, fish or soy sauce, garlic, red pepper, and scallions. Toss sliced apples in dressing. Add cooked shrimp and toss again. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the shrimp for at least 30 minutes.  Toss again right before serving to redistribute dressing. Makes 8 large servings at 1 gram of fat/serving.

The shrimp are packed to be taken to a pot luck.