Tuesday, 15 April 2014

Green Goddess Salad

This gorgeous salad combines fresh shrimp, cucumber, artichoke hearts and cherry tomatoes with homemade green goddess dressing. The dressing is beautifully green and creamy with avocado (loaded with good-for-you fats) and fresh herbs. Buttermilk and a dash of rice vinegar add tang.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2   avocado, peeled and pitted
3/4 cup  nonfat buttermilk
2 tablespoons  chopped fresh herbs, such as tarragon, sorrel and/or chives
2 teaspoons  tarragon vinegar, or white-wine vinegar
1 teaspoon  anchovy paste, or minced anchovy fillet
8 cups  bite-size pieces green leaf lettuce
12 ounces  peeled and deveined cooked shrimp, (21-25 per pound; see Ingredient note)
1/2   cucumber, sliced
1 cup  cherry or grape tomatoes
1 cup  canned chickpeas, rinsed
1 cup  rinsed and chopped canned artichoke hearts
1/2 cup  chopped celery

DIRECTIONS:
1. Puree avocado, buttermilk, herbs, vinegar and anchovy in a blender until smooth.
2. Divide lettuce among 4 plates. Top with shrimp, cucumber, tomatoes, chickpeas, artichoke hearts and celery. Drizzle the dressing over the salads.

Tips:
Ingredient note: Shrimp is usually sold by the number needed to make one pound. For example, "21-25 count" means there will be 21 to 25 shrimp in a pound. Size names, such as "large" or "extra large," are not standardized, so to be sure you're getting the size you want, order by the count (or number) per pound. Both wild-caught and farm-raised shrimp can damage the surrounding ecosystems when not managed properly. Fortunately, it is possible to buy shrimp that have been raised or caught with sound environmental practices. Look for fresh or frozen shrimp certified by an independent agency, such as Wild American Shrimp or Marine Stewardship Council. If you can't find certified shrimp, choose wild-caught shrimp from North America--it's more likely to be sustainably caught.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cover and refrigerate the dressing (Step 1) for up to 1 day.

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