Roasted Shrimp and Corn Salad, a Colorful Prelude to Summer

Roasted shrimp and corn make this seafood salad especially fresh and flavorful.

Shrimp salad is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Diane Rossen Worthington/TCA

Roasted shrimp and corn make this seafood salad especially fresh and flavorful. Start with raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp and roast them with corn kernels until just cooked through; the shrimp stay juicy and the corn turns sweet and tender. These are a far cry from the overcooked, rubbery shrimp you will find at the market.

Use any lettuce you like, cut into small pieces. Marinated artichoke hearts pair well with the shrimp. You could substitute hearts of palm for the artichoke hearts if you prefer. Finish with avocado, pistachios, and tomato halves; toss with vinaigrette; and serve immediately. Try a chilled sauvignon blanc to accompany it and some crisp, warm sourdough bread for a satisfying meal.

Lemon Mustard Vinaigrette

Makes about 3/4 cup

• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste
• 1/2 cup good-quality mild extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as desired

Whisk mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, pepper, and salt together until blended and smooth. Whisk in oil in a slow, steady stream until emulsified; add up to 1/4 cup more oil as desired. Taste for seasoning. Reserve.

Roasted Shrimp and Corn Salad

Serves 4 as main course or 6 as a first course

• 1 pound shrimp (12 to 15 count), peeled and deveined
• Kernels from 1 ear corn (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Seasoning salt, to taste

To Finish

• 8 cups chopped lettuce (romaine, baby gem, or spring greens)
• 1 (12-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts
• 1 medium ripe avocado, peeled and diced
• 3 small tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup roasted pistachios
• Lemon mustard vinaigrette (see recipe)

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange shrimp and corn on a parchment-lined sheet pan. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients, pour over the shrimp and corn, and toss to coat. Spread in a single layer.

Roast for 8 to 9 minutes until the shrimp are pink and opaque and corn is light brown. Do not overcook. Halve the shrimp, transfer shrimp and corn to a dish, cool, and refrigerate until serving.

Place the lettuce in a large salad bowl. Spoon the chilled shrimp and corn mixture over the greens in 4 sections.

Spoon the artichokes between the shrimp sections, creating 8 sections total.

Arrange the tomato halves around the rim, scatter the avocado on top, and sprinkle the pistachios in the center.

Drizzle vinaigrette and serve.

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