The holidays are upon us. It’s time to start planning your big meals. Over the next two weeks, I want to share some new ideas to bring to the table this year. While everyone knows what the star of their meal will be, there are so many options for what to serve with it.
This week, I want to share a couple of salad ideas. They are not your traditional green leafy salads. They are hearty salads that are meant to share the plate with your main dish. The first is a warm one, Corn and Shrimp Salad. The second, Deviled Potato Salad, is a traditional potato salad. So gather up your ingredients, and Let’s head to the kitchen!
Corn and Shrimp Salad
Corn and shrimp are a great combination. You often find them together in soups like Shrimp and Corn Chowder. This salad is a warm one that makes a perfect side dish.
8-ounce package French green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup plus 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 pound peeled and deveined large fresh shrimp, tails removed
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning
6 cups fresh yellow corn kernels
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon Creole mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat; add green beans. When water returns to a boil, immediately drain beans, and transfer to an ice bath. Drain, and place beans in a large bowl. In a colander set over a bowl, place onion, and pour hot water over to mellow. Rinse onion with cold water, and set down to drain. Add onion and tomatoes to beans.
In a large skillet, heat 2 teaspoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle shrimp with Creole seasoning. Add shrimp to skillet; cook, turning halfway through, until pink and firm, about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate, and set aside. Wipe skillet clean.
Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in skillet. Add corn and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Return shrimp to skillet; cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Add shrimp mixture to bean mixture, tossing gently to combine.
In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, mustard, honey, pepper, remaining 1/3 cup olive oil, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until combined. Add dressing to shrimp mixture, tossing gently to coat. Stir in parsley. Serve warm.
Deviled Potato Salad
Deviled eggs and potato salad are a southern staple. Here’s a great way to combine these two classics. It’s a great recipe for when you can’t choose between the two to make.
3 pounds small fingerling potatoes, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
6 hard-cooked eggs, peeled and halved lengthwise
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cu chopped red onion
4-ounce jar diced pimentos
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Preheat oven to 425℉.
In a large bowl, toss together potatoes, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon salt until well combined. Spread potatoes onto a sheet pan.
Bake until tender and browned, about 40 minutes, stirring halfway through. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl; let cool for 15 minutes.
Remove egg yolks, and place in a medium bowl. Chop egg whites, and set aside. Add mustard, vinegar, and horseradish to yolks, whisking until combined. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, celery seeds, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt, stirring until well combined
Add egg whites, mayonnaise mixture, celery, onion, pimentos, and chives to potatoes; gently fold together to combine. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Next week, I will share with you some more traditional Thanksgiving side dishes. While traditional sides will always show up, I always try to include a little something different. That can be hard to do since the family is always expecting certain things. It’s always a pleasure to bring more than what’s expected.
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