Modern Shrimp Louis Salad: A Comeback for a Classic Dish
May 01, 2017, Updated Nov 13, 2024
BY KAREN SHEER
A Comeback for a Classic Dish! This fresh, seafood-rich trendsetter recipe of the early 20th century takes on a modern flair with Fresh (not frozen) Pink Shrimp and a zippy Louis Sauce. Serve as a salad OR appetizer with shrimp & sauce.
Today there are as many versions of this famous salad as there are cooks.
The West Coast (USA) is still the best place to find Louie/Louis salads–sometimes all Dungeness Crab, sometimes all Bay Shrimp, and sometimes a combination of both.The seafood needs to be plentiful and super fresh.
What makes is Modern, for today’s flavors; are its ingredients.
I use Fresh, not frozen shrimp are found more easily today at quality fish shops. I bought some flown in from Florida; they are extra-sweet with a lovely pink-blush color.
Sure, you can use any large shrimps you like.
Organic vegetables taste fresh, without pesticides – you can improvise with the ingredients – little gem lettuce can replace iceberg (although I love the crispy-crunch of organic iceberg I used.)
The accompaniments to the shrimp I like are: avocado, multi-colored baby tomatoes, fresh corn, asparagus and lettuce. Gorgeous purple Asian radishes add a colorful garnish. Some like to add hard boiled eggs and olives.
TWO WAYS TO MAKE IT:
Shrimp Louis as a SALAD or
serving SHRIMP WITH SAUCE FOR DIPPING
The Louis Dressing:
It’s pretty simple with a zesty flavor! I’ve kicked it up a notch by using freshly grated horseradish root, ground arbol chile, scallions, grainy mustard and lemon juice stirred into mayonnaise and ketchup… so delicious!
I never serve bottled “cocktail sauce”! No thank you to high fructose corn syrup!
History-Crab Louie/Louis Salad:
Credit for the origin of Crab Louie/Louis Salad depends on who you talk to and which state in the West Coast you are in. Most historians agree that the salad began appearing on menus of finer West Coast establishments between the turn of the 20th century and World War I. Other historians suggest that the salad was named after King Louis XIV.
- Some credit the origin of Crab Louis Salad to the chef at Seattle’s Olympic Club in Washington; 1904.
- It is also said the salad was created in San Francisco by either the chef at Solari’s Restaurant; 1910.
- The Davenport Hotel in Spokane, WA claims that the original founder and owner, Louis Davenport, created this dish for the hotel restaurant in 1914. The salad is still on their menu today.
- The Palace Hotel in San Francisco, California is noted as making the salad famous in 1950.
It was time to reinvent this classic!
Karen
Modern Shrimp Louis: A Comeback for a Classic Dish
Ingredients
- 16 large pink shrimp, fresh, not frozen* (about 1 pound)
- 1/4 cup rose wine, can use dry white wine as well
- 1 1/2 cups cool filtered water
- 1 large bay leaf, or 2 small
- 1 teaspoon mixed peppercorns
- 2 strips lemon rind
- 4 cups ice
- 1/2 head iceberg lettuce, preferably organic
- 1/2 large haas avocado, peeled, cut into 12 thin slices
- 16 small multi-colored tomatoes, halved
- 1/3 cup fresh corn kernels, steamed 1 minute
- 12 medium asparagus spears, trimmed, peeled, steamed 2 minutes
- 2 teaspoon asian purple radish, very small dice (for garnish)
- 4 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
- 1 recipe Modern Shrimp Louis Dressing, see recipe
Instructions
Cook the Shrimp:
- Place unpeeled shrimp with wine, water, bayleaf, peppercorns and lemon rind in a non-reactive 2 quart pot. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook shrimp 2 – 3 minutes until firm and cooked through. The flavor of the shrimp will benefit from cooling in its cooking liquid.
- Remove from the stove, add 4 cups of ice to stop the shrimp from cooking further – will cool quickly. When cool, peel and devein shrimp, leaving tail portion intact. Refrigerate until needed.
Adding a Salad:
- (I have used Organic Ingredients) For Four Individual Servings – Cut the lettuce into 4 wedges, place one on each plate. Add 2 avocado slices around the lettuce. Dot with 8 tomato halves (from 4 tomatoes.) Add 3 asparagus spears decoratively to the plate. Top with a portion of cooled shrimp. Scatter a portion of corn over all.
Serving:
- Serve Shrimp Louis Sauce on the side, or drizzle over the shrimp and salad. Garnish with chopped dill and asian purple radish. Sliced Lemons are a nice garnish too. Sprouts and Microgreens would also make a nice garnish.
- * Pink Shrimp can be found seasonably from fish markets, I have used a variety from Florida. ** Ice will cool down the shrimp quickly, while the shrimp benefits from the flavorful liquid.
Serving Shrimp Louis without Salad:
- A wonderful Appetizer / Hors d' oeuvre!Add shrimp to a large bowl with thin sliced lemon halves and skewers. Place the Louis Sauce in the center or on the side for dipping. Easy; can be prepared ahead of time! Double, triple the recipe as needed.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Modern Shrimp Louis Dressing
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise, I use 365 brand; no natural flavorings
- 2 tablespoons organic ketchup, no high fructose corn syrup
- ¼ teaspoon celery seeds
- 2 tablespoons fresh horseradish root, peeled, finely grated (can use prepared white horseradish)
- 1 tablespoon scallions, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground arbol chile, or your favorite ground chili, such as cayenne
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon grainy mustard with seeds
- 1 pinch pure cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons asian purple radish, very small dice (for garnish)
- 2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
- sea salt to taste
Instructions
- Whisk the first 9 ingredients together; mayonnaise through dill. Store in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Serve with Modern Shrimp Louis Salad and appetizer (see recipe.)
- *This recipe is Vegan if using a vegan mayonnaise.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
