I would have to say the best part about taking a much needed vacation is the food. That shouldn’t surprise anyone. I can’t help it. I love to try new foods and old food favorites, especially when they are in their hometown showing off in all their glory.
This past week I got to visit a very close friend who is now nesting herself and her family down in South Carolina. Staying on the coast side of the state, I got to enjoy many seafood favorites and of course old-time classics.
Eating dinner at a local joint right on the water, I knew I had to order myself up some of the local shrimp. Oh boy, it was delicious. The shrimp came boiled in an array of spices, ready for me to peel and eat. Finger-licking good, as any southern seafood dish should be. I honestly couldn’t get enough. Washing it down with local beer followed by a main dish of local grouper… any foodie would be in heaven.
I enjoyed my time eating my way around Charleston, Georgetown and a few towns in-between. I made sure to find a barbecue place and of course stopped in a deli owned by a couple of fellow Long Islanders — go figure. (Anybody who has traveled down south knows that there really is no such thing as a deli; that is really a northern thing.)
Well I came home itching to get in the kitchen and cook up some delicious creations. I couldn’t keep my mind off of that shrimp I had, the hint of spice mixed with the fresh taste of the shrimp.
Here is a simple and quick recipe for a tasty shrimp dish with a touch of cajun spice. Eat it alone, serve it on top of a salad or enjoy next to a main dish.
Cajun Shrimp & Potato Salad
Yields: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 lb. jumbo shrimp, cooked & peeled
12 oz. new potatoes
2 Tablespoon Olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch of scallions, finely sliced
1 1/2 Tablespoons Cajun Seasoning
1 ripe avocado
Slice the potatoes into half moons, about 1/2 inch thick. Cook them in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water for 10 – 12 minutes or until just tender. Drain well.
In a large skillet on medium high heat, heat the oil. Add the shrimp, garlic, scallions and cajun seasoning. Stir fry until the shrimp are hot, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the potatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish.
Peel, pit and dice the avocado. Stir into the salad and serve immediately.
