Shrimp salad is a traditional Christmas Eve dish in many European countries. This salad has an original taste. It is very light so it can be served both for breakfast and dinner.
To make a salad you will need:
- frozen shrimps - 300 g;
- lettuce leaves - 1 bunch (50-70 g);
- seasonal tomatoes or cherry tomatoes - 10-15 pcs.;
- garlic - 2 cloves;
- bay leaves-2-4 pcs.;
- olive oil for frying;
- salt - to taste;
- sugar - 0.5 tsp;
- allspice - to taste.
Buying fresh shrimp is one of the main secrets of making a delicious and tender salad. They are very useful, rich in iodine, calcium and other trace elements. When choosing shrimp, pay attention to some of the nuances:
1. The packing bag must contain the manufacturer's details (address, phone number, etc.)
2. High-quality shrimps have an even color, a bent tail.
3. Dried shell, yellowish meat, the presence of black spots on the legs - signs of stale old shrimp.
4. Pay attention to the tail again - if it is unbent, then the shrimp died before freezing.
5. A black head is a sign of an individual's illness. This shrimp should not be eaten.
First you need to defrost the shrimp on the top shelf of the refrigerator.
When choosing shrimp, give preference to large varieties: tiger or king. If it is not possible to purchase them, small cocktail shrimps will do. You can also take boiled and frozen ones.
Rinse defrosted shrimps with cold water. Then you need to separate the head and peel the shrimp from the shell and entrails. Rinse the shrimp again. Put in a bowl and add salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar.
Sugar gives the shrimp a pleasant sweet taste. But don't overdo it. A pinch is enough.
Preheat a frying pan, add olive oil. Put the shrimps in hot oil and fry for 1-2 minutes. As soon as the shrimps turn pink, turn them over to the other side. Fry again for 1-2 minutes until pink. Remove skillet from heat. Place the shrimp in a bowl. Cool them down to room temperature.
If you are preparing a salad from boiled frozen shrimp, then: defrost them, peel them off. Put the shrimp in hot oil, fry for 20 seconds. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and cool. The shrimps are ready!
If fried dishes are not to your taste, then you can soak the shrimp for two minutes in this broth: boiled water, salt, bay leaf, dill sprigs, allspice. After two minutes, transfer the shrimp to a colander - let the water drain. Then pat dry with paper towels.
After you've prepared the shrimp for the salad, move on to the tomatoes.
In the event that you are preparing a salad not in season for growing vegetables, give preference to cherry tomatoes. They are delicious and have a pleasant aroma.
Rinse them under running water. Let dry and then cut into wedges.
Peel the garlic, chop finely. Rinse the parsley, let the excess water drain. Chop finely. Combine tomatoes, garlic and parsley in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and a little sugar (0.5 tsp or less). In the event that for cooking you took ground tomatoes that grew in a sufficient amount of sun, you can not add sugar. As a rule, they are already sweet. But tomatoes grown with a lack of sun need to be added sugar.
Add shrimps to a bowl with tomatoes, garlic and parsley, after cutting each of them into 2-3 pieces. You can also add the oil in which they were fried. Stir. Decorate the salad with sprigs of herbs and serve.
