SippitySup

This Shrimp Louie is not a true “Louie”. First off, it’s not made with crab. It could be. But I didn’t have crab so I used shrimp.

I’ve taken other liberties too. So many liberties that I’m not sure my friends in San Fransisco would even recognize this version of the King of Salads (as its been known in that city since as early as 1914).

San Franciscans recognize only a few particular ingredients when it comes to Crab Louie: crab meat, tomato, asparagus, and hard boiled eggs. It should be served on a bed of iceberg lettuce with a Louie dressing of mayonnaise and chili sauce on the side (always on the side). Other ingredients such as pickles, olives and green onions have made it onto the plate in some recipes I’ve seen. But I’ve also seen quite a few Golden-Gaters raise their eyebrows at these accoutrements, so it’s hard to know what to think.

Shrimp Louie

Looking at my recipe it’s easy to see just how many rules I’ve broken. So in deference to the original, I’m going to call this Crabless Shrimp “Louie” an L.A. Louie. I think the avocado makes it particularly Southern Californian. I’ve also used Sriracha sauce in the dressing. Most recipes for the Northern Californian Louies I’ve seen require some sort of hot sauce to be mixed in the mayonnaise. They don’t necessarily specify what kind of hot sauce, but L.A. claims Sriracha as a hometown hero so it seems an appropriate addition to this L.A. Louie. You’ll also notice that despite all the raised eyebrows on Market Street, I used pickles in my Shrimp Louie.

Oh, it gets even stranger. I’ve replaced the hard-boiled eggs with ruby red grapefruit. Which I suppose leaves open the argument that this “Louie” is a Texas Louie. But I find that argument ridiculous. I live in Los Angeles. This Shrimp Louie is therefore obviously an L.A. Louie. GREG

Expand Recipe…

Shrimp Louie with Avocado and Sriracha 

By: Greg Henry

Print This Recipe Total time 2:00 Yield 6Source Adapted from Lemonade RestaurantPublished July 2, 2014

Ingredients

• ½ English cucumber (ends trimmed, halved lengthwise, seeds scooped out)
• 2 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup rice wine vinegar
• ¼ cup water
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• ¼ cup Mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoon Sriracha sauce
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• ½ lime (juice only)
• 1 tablespoon minced mint leaves
• 12 ounce cooked or canned bay shrimp
• 3 ripe avocados (halved and pitted just before serving)
• 6 grapefruit segments
• whole mint leaves (as needed for garnish)

---

Directions

Cut the cucumber into ¼‑inch dice. Place the dice into a wire-mesh sieve. Sprinkle the cucumber with with 2 teaspoons salt. Set aside for 30 minute, shaking the sieve occasionally, to drain the water our of the cucumber.

In the meantime, combine vinegar, water and sugar in a small non-reactive saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil. When the sugar is dissolved remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool completely.

Once cool place the salted, drained cucumbers into the cooled vinegar mixture. Set aside while you prepare the Sriracha sauce and shrimp salad.

In a medium bowl combine mayonnaise, Sriracha, sesame oil, lime juice, and mint. Use a fork to blend the mixture very well. Drain the cucumbers and add them to the mayo mixture, followed by the shrimp. Gently fold to combine. The shrimp salad may be made and refrigerated up to 4 hours ahead.

Serve the shrimp salad inside avocado halves. Garnish with grapefruit segments and whole mint leaves.