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A salad for summer, cool and pretty

The Columbian
Published: July 14, 2015, 12:00am

When the weather is sweltering, I want a meal that is both refreshing and satisfying, and this scrumptious salad answers the call perfectly. It’s cool and crisp, with crunchy, bright green snow peas, napa cabbage, peppery radishes and chilled shrimp, all doused in a lip-smacking ginger-sesame dressing and sprinkled with nutty sesame seeds.

Besides its taste and texture, there is another refreshing dimension to this salad: the way the ingredients are prepped. The snow peas are cut on the diagonal into diamond-shaped pieces, and the shrimp are sliced in half to form thin semicircles that nestle seamlessly into the other ingredients.

Sure, you could just leave the snow peas and shrimp whole, or chop them more coarsely, but cutting them this way takes only a bit more effort and gives the recipe an unforgettable, breezy elegance.

Serve it as a main course for lunch or a light dinner, or in smaller portions as a first course.

Shrimp and Snow Pea Salad With Sesame

4 to 6 servings (main-course)

From dietitian and cookbook author Ellie Krieger.

12 ounces (4 cups) snow peas, strings removed

1 1/4 pounds medium (41-50 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 head small napa cabbage, coarsely chopped (4 cups)

3 red radishes, thinly sliced into half-moons ( 3/4 cup)

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1/3 cup plain rice vinegar

2 tablespoons canola oil (may substitute other neutral-tasting oil)

1 1/2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

1 tablespoon peeled, finely grated fresh ginger root

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (see NOTE)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Fill a large bowl with cool water and ice cubes.

Add the snow peas to the pot; cook for 30 seconds or just until the snow peas turn a brighter green, then use a large slotted spoon or Chinese skimmer to transfer them to the ice-water bath. Let them cool for 30 seconds, then drain and pat dry. Add more ice and cool water to the bowl. Let the pot of water return to a boil.

Add the shrimp to the pot; once the water returns to a boil again, cook the shrimp for about 2 minutes or until just opaque. Drain, and immediately transfer them to the ice-water bath to cool. Drain and pat dry.

Cut each shrimp in half horizontally (creating 2 thin halves), placing them in a mixing bowl as you work. Trim the ends from the snow peas, then cut the peas on the diagonal into 1/2 -inch diamond shapes; add them to the bowl along with the cabbage, radishes and scallions.

Whisk together the vinegar, canola oil, toasted sesame oil, ginger and salt in a liquid measuring cup until emulsified. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat evenly. Just before serving, sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and toss until evenly distributed.

NOTE: Toast the sesame seeds in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant and lightly browned, shaking the pan as needed to prevent scorching.

Per serving (based on 6): 210 calories, 22 g protein, 7 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 150 mg cholesterol, 330 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 3 g sugar

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