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Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Shrimp and Rice Salad with Cucumbers



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The heat wave here has broken and we are again enjoying the more temperate weather that this area is known for. It is, in a word, beautiful. The days are pleasantly warm, but once the sun sets we cool down quickly. When the temperatures soared, I pulled out some of the recipes I used when we were living in Illinois and New Jersey. Summers in both areas could be unpleasantly warm, and this recipe and others like it were a godsend on hot nights when I was working. I should be ashamed to admit it, but when this was on the menu, I'd stop to pick up steamed shrimp and carry-out rice to make short work of the meal. Once home, I spread the rice on a cookie sheet and put it in the freezer for a quick cool down. It took all of five minutes to make the dressing and once it was done, I'd combine it with shrimp, cucumbers and rice and give it all a good toss. The salad went back into the freezer for another half hour to chill a bit more before before serving. It was a light, easy and delicious meal for blistering summer nights. It still is. While it's not necessary, I try to use day old rice to make this salad. The rice has more substance and holds it shape better than fresh rice when tossed. I'm not a fan of mayonnaise, so I've dressed the salad with oil and vinegar to cut back a bit on calories. I also use garden cucumbers, but remove the seeds before chopping and adding to the salad. The recipe can be doubled to feed a crowd or halved to feed just one or two, and you can, of course, substitute brown rice for white. I think you will like this easy summer entree. Here's the recipe.

Shrimp and Rice Salad with Cucumbers...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked white or brown rice
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots or red onion
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 pound cooked shrimps, shelled, deveined and cut in half lengthwise
Dressing
Juice and julienned strips of peel from 1 lemon
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1) Place rice, shallots, cucumber, shrimp and lemon zest in a large bowl. Toss to combine.
2) Mash garlic and salt in bottom of a small bowl. Add mustard, lemon juice, vinegar and oil. Whisk to combine.
3) Pour dressings over salad and toss gently to mix. Add pepper and parsley and toss again. Chill slightly. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Thai Tuna Salad - One Perfect Bite
Asian Chicken or Shrimp Salad - One Perfect Bite
Curried Turkey Salad - One Perfect Bite
Grilled Chicken Salad with Spicy Pineapple Dressing - For the Love of Cooking
Thai Beef Salad - The Cooking Addicts
Shrimp Salad with Lime Vinaigrette - Sauce and Sensibility

67 comments:

  1. Ahh the satisfaction of chewing on shrimps! I can't help drooling over shrimp dishes!

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  2. Sounds wonderful Mary - and of course, it is STILL hot down here! :)

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  3. This sounds fabulous. I am definitely going to give it a try.

    Blessings to you,
    Patti (Fill My Cup with Beauty)

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  4. This sounds perfect for the dish I need to bring to a party this weekend- and I should think I need to make extra for leftovers!

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  5. Oh that sounds so good. Have you gotten your package yet?

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  6. Still hot here, so this sounds like a delightful dinner-Thanks for sharing!

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  7. Looks simple ad delicious to prepare. Mmmm...I love all those big prawns there. I'll add even more prawns :P

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  8. Another beautiful looking dish from you Mary! I can see this being served at a picnic!

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  9. I never prepare rice in salad way, sound really refreshing and good, must try one day.

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  10. Beautiful rice salad here! What a great recipe to serve your grandchildren when they're here next month! Hope you're enjoying the day!
    Cheers, Kristy

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  11. So cool & refreshing looking, Mary!!
    ♥ your photos!!!!

    I think you were pretty smart back in the day, to think of picking up these ingredients on your way home from work & turning them into a cool salad. I never think out of the box like that. :/
    I look forward to trying it soon!

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  12. wat a delicious recipe...can't wait to giv a try dear.

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  13. Another refreshing dish! It will be crowd pleaser in hotter weather

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  14. I agree, I like how it's dressed with oil and vinegar rather than mayo. Very nice and cool for the summer! I love the cucumber too, awesome! Thanks!

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  15. The temperature here in NYC has been off the charts crazy and so I need a dish like this to cool me down! Sounds so tasty.

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  16. What a wonderful recipe! Please send your cool air here! I can't remember the last time we saw 70!

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  17. What a perfect summer salad for us here in the desert! I'm definitely putting this on my list of things to make in the next few weeks. YUM! Thanks for sharing this lovely and simple salad!

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  18. This sounds so light and refreshing for summertime. And anything with shrimp is delicious! Glad to hear you're enjoying the summer days!

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  19. Thanks, stealing this one, but then you figured I would, right?

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  20. I have a husband who LOVES rice, shrimp and cucumbers so he'd pretty crazy about this. I always enjoy rice salads and the dressing for this one sounds perfect.

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  21. My mouth is just watering reading this and looking at the photo.... Diane

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  22. The shrimp rice looks so satisfying and full of flavours!

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  23. Shrimps with rice as salad, absolutely tempting..

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  24. Gorst it was lavender and now shrimp. We are in sync this week Mary:D

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  25. Hi Mary,
    What a stunning combination of flavours. That salad looks so gorgeous and the textures and flavours must be so delicious!!
    Love,
    Lia.

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  26. This salad sounds perfect for a hot summer meal! I will give this one a try considering we are supposed to be hitting 115 degrees today!

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  27. Perfect light meal for a summer day. I've gotten to where I prefer brown rice to white... chewier, nuttier... very good!

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  28. Hi Mary, This sounds so cool and refreshing I have to try it. We are having a few days of Blessed rain that we truly need. The crops look so happy in the field!
    ~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

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  29. A beautiful idea for a salad...never would have thought to use rice...great idea..I would make this in large doses...and live on it on these hot summer days here...

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  30. I love the contrast of all these crisp, cool summer flavors!

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  31. Good Morning Mary Sweetie...
    Oh I love the idea of a rice salad. That thought had never crossed my mind. I have to ask though, I am highly allergic to seafood, what other meat would you recommend substituting in this recipe? I would so love to give it a try.

    Thank you for sharing sweet friend. Country hugs and so much love to you, Sherry

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  32. Oooeee, Mary! I think this is my favorite summery dish you've done thus far. :-) I love it!! I've been craving rice/grain salads and you've just inspired me wonderfully. :-)

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  33. This is beauty meets taste all in one lovely package. I will definitely need to try this recipe out. Nice work!

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  34. OH my gosh I cannot wait to make this, YUM

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  35. Alright Mary...when the heat is over...I'm going to move in next door to you...and this way I'll be able to share in all that which you are always making in that kitchen!

    As always...you've done good ;o)

    Ciao for now,
    Claudia

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  36. No shame in making a quick and wonderful meal on a hot evening when you've worked all day. This looks great!

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  37. Love the combination! Can't wait to try it! :)

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  38. We are still in the heat wave and this recipes sounds perfect!
    Rita

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  39. This looks perfect still for summer, lovely and light.

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  40. This looks delicious! Perfect for a summer day..whether you are in the middle of a heat wave or not :)

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  41. This salad looks perfect especially today. The heat wave left from you and it came to us. Tomorrow temperature will rise to almost 40 degrees Celcius. Wish me luck.

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  42. Such a refreshing and delicious looking recipe! Yum!

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  43. This just looks perfect Mary, makes me happy just looking at it!

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  44. this sounds really great..easy and delicious one..love to try this..thanks for sharing!

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  45. Hi--I got here from the wife of a dairyman--I enjoyed reading through your blog. Hope you can stop by for a visit.

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  46. Your heatwave has broken and ours has started and this looks wonderfully refreshing. Light shrimp and cooling cukes and I love a good rice salad. On my list...

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  47. I'm going to link this to my facebook page-my director and my sister in law LOVE shrimp and I think they'll love this recipe-loved your funny comment on my Kitty post...I would love to have been there to see it! Have a great Thursday!

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  48. I'm going to link this to my facebook page-my director and my sister in law LOVE shrimp and I think they'll love this recipe-loved your funny comment on my Kitty post...I would love to have been there to see it! Have a great Thursday!

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  49. This salad looks delicious. Am I right in guessing that you are from Oregon? I just read your post on Oregon's Lavender Festival, isn't this a beautiful time of year for this beauty that is much too short to show what it can do?
    I too am from Oregon, so I wanted to say hi. You have a lovely blog and just recently found you. I hope the rest of your week goes well. =)

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  50. This will be a perfect dinner for one our hot New Jersey summer nights! Cool and refreshing - just perfect! I love that I generally have all of the ingredients on hand.

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  51. Do me a favor and send some of that nice weather clear across the country to Miami. I would really appreciate it.

    I don't think I've ever had cold rice in a salad. hmmmmm. Your yummy blog is opening up a new world of possibilities for me.

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  52. Wow, this is a really Summer dish, not only sound but look so refreshing...absolutely perfect for this season :-)

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  53. This looks cool and lite. My husband loves shrimp salads and this has a new twist. Thanks Mary!

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  54. Sounds good Mary! Thanks for the idea and recipe...it's hot here in Liguria, so I'm gonna try it next days! ciao, Anna

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  55. Good to know the more temperate weather is on its way! Today it is suppose to be 91 and humid in Rochester NY. Its like we live in the South.

    I love rice salads. I know I would love this one. The next time I have leftover rice, I am going to try it.

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  56. This looks like the perfect summer dish. Love it!

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  57. This looks so good, what a great combo! I can't wait to try it, we have been having the perfect hot weather for a dish just like this! Thank you!!!

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  58. Yum--this is a beautiful dish and a perfect summer dinner. Love the shrimp and cucumbers. ;-)

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  59. Lovely and perfect for a hot summer day!

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  60. I can't eat shrimp. Is there something, I can substitute for it?

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  61. Gorgeous recipe, this shrimp and rice salad! I will enjoy making it here in HOT Connecticut...

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