Shrimp Po' Boy Salad is a deconstructed salad version of a New Orleans classic, complete with a remoulade sauce for dressing
Going to the grocery store is quite possibly one of my favorite things to do.
I realize that I am likely in the minority, but I really enjoy walking up and down the aisles, exploring new foods, or just scoping out the different options.
I'm pretty sure the people at the store are thinking there's that weird girl in the workout clothes & glasses (I only wear my glasses in the grocery store or when driving at night)... I wonder how long she's going to spend in here today or how many questions she's going to ask...
I typically just walk through the store for inspiration and base my purchases off what is on sale because it usually means that it is a seasonal ingredient and it saves me money.
Most days, I look like a zombie as I create recipes in my head based off the abundant options at hand.
I don't talk to myself out loud, but I might as well.
The grocery store is like my paint and my kitchen is my canvas... you know, if I was an artist.
The point of all this is that sometimes as I stroll through the aisles, I have ingenious ideas -- and this Po' Boy Salad is one of them.
My favorite Po' Boy -- a New Orleans version of a submarine sandwich that can be filled with anything ranging from fried seafood to roast beef to meat balls -- is a Fried Shrimp Po' Boy, and I like mine dressed without the mayo.
"Dressed" means it comes with tomatoes, shredded lettuce, and mayonnaise.
In Salad Week mode, I decided that I could totally deconstruct a Po' Boy and turn it into a salad.
So I grabbed a loaf of Po' Boy bread and some unpeeled shrimp.
I already had tomatoes, lettuce, and the ingredients to make a remoulade sauce at home.
I don't necessarily want remoulade on my Po' Boy but my Po' Boy Salad needed a dressing, so I thought a remoulade-inspired dressing would be perfect. Naturally, I was right.
When I got home, I realized that I had 17 different recipes for remoulade sauce and all were rich... think copious amounts of mayo or an oil/egg combo.
Like any other time I have a food related question and need someone's expert guidance, I called Nan, my all-knowing grandmother.
We hashed out how I could make something that resembled remoulade sauce that wouldn't give me a stomach ache just thinking about it, and I got to work in my kitchen.
Friends... this. is. good.
I love that this salad has all the goodies of a po boy with lots of extra veggies.
Plus, this salad is really fun!
Since I had no intention of frying them and the oven was already on, I made croutons out of the Po' Boy bread and roasted the shrimp to give it extra flavor.
The remoulade-inspired sauce is nice because it only has tomato paste, onions, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, and a touch of oil.
Note: you need to make it ahead of time so the flavors can develop. This step is a must. It needs at least 2 hours to sit, and best if it sits for about 24 hours.
When you're ready to make the salad, just stir the remoulade with some water to thin it out and make it more of a salad dressing consistency.
And there you have it... my Shrimp Po' Boy Salad: a deconstructed salad version of a New Orleans classic. Enjoy!
Shrimp Po' Boy Salad
Ingredients
For the remoulade sauce:
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup onion diced
- 6 TBSP tomato paste
- 6 TBSP Creole mustard
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice reserve lemon rinds
- 2 TBSP apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 tsp prepared horseradish
- 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp honey
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
For the salad:
- 4 tsp olive oil divided
- 2 oz Po' Boy bread cubed {or French bread/baguette}
- 1 lb peeled shrimp
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2-4 TBSP water
- 2 Romaine hearts shredded {makes about 12 cups lettuce}
- 1 large tomato diced
Instructions
To make the remoulade sauce:
- Add the garlic, onion, tomato pasta, Creole mustard, fresh lemon juice, vinegar, horseradish, worcestershire sauce, honey, paprika, salt, and cayenne pepper to a mini food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Transfer to a plastic or glass bowl, and add bay leaves & lemon rinds to bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours {best if you let it sit overnight or for 24 hours}. Before serving, discard bay leaves and lemon rind.
To make the salad:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line two baking sheets with foil {for easier clean-up; this step is optional}.
- Toss the cubed bread with 2 teaspoons oil and spread in one layer over one baking sheet. Toast cubed bread in preheated oven for 8 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
- Meanwhile, toss peeled shrimp with salt, garlic powder, paprika, cayenne, and remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil. Arrange in one layer on other baking sheet and roast in preheated oven for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside while tossing salad.
- Stir together remoulade sauce and 2-4 tablespoons water {depending on desired consistency} for salad dressing. Toss with shredded lettuce and diced tomatoes. Top with Po' Boy bread croutons and roasted shrimp. Serve with extra remoulade sauce if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
What to use in this recipe:
Meme
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