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May 2011  |  By Connie Fairbanks  |  Comments

Shrimp Salad on Endive

For a beautiful presentation, try to find both red and green endive at your grocery store or farmer’s market.

Serves 4 as an appetizer

• ¾ cup baby shrimp, cooked, diced, and patted dry*
• ½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon white pepper
• Zest of one lemon
• Zest of one lime
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lime juice
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon low fat mayonnaise or sour cream
• 8 endive spears

1. Mix all the ingredients together right before serving.  
2. Place a rounded teaspoonful of the shrimp mixture at the end of an endive spear, and serve immediately.

Connie’s Notes: To prepare the endive, wash it, and remove any outer leaves that are bruised. Cut off the bitter inch off the bottom of the endive. Carefully separate the spears and lay the spears on paper towels to dry. Place the dried spears in a re-sealable bag and place them in the refrigerator so they remain crisp. This process can be done a day in advance. Coarsely chop any leftover endive and use it in a salad.

• If you are using frozen baby shrimp, drain, and pat dry.

About the author: Connie Fairbanks, the home chef, is the author of “Scratch That:  Seasonal Menus and Perfect Pairings,” which is organized into seasonal menus and wine pairings, and has many color photos.

Connie appears frequently on Chicago television doing cooking segments using seasonal ingredients, and enjoys radio interviews and call-in questions from listeners. Connie began cooking on her rural Kansas farm as soon as she could read.  She snips fresh herbs from her rooftop garden in downtown Chicago to add instant flavor to soups and salads, and cooks a new vegetable every week. For more information, visit conniefairbanks.com. Follow her bi-monthly blog, and her Tips of the Day on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.