RECIPE: Slaw and shrimp combine for refreshing winter supper
Years ago, I shot a television segment at a 250-year-old mustard factory in Dijon, France, that also housed a state-of-the-art food laboratory. A prim, bespectacled scientist in a white lab coat measured our senses and determined I was “bitter deficient.” I was equally appalled and fascinated. Something was wrong with my palate? I cook and write recipes for a living!
We moved on to the next series of smell tests. We were given a dozen or so clear vials of liquid and asked to identify the scent. I got the best score. In fact, I was in the top three of the thousands in the history of the lab. I felt gleefully redeemed and relieved. Taste, flavor and aroma are all incredibly complex.
The core behind a great combination of flavors can be distilled into sour, salty, bitter, sweet and umami, or savory. If you taste a dish and “it’s missing something,” this is the place to start.
Meyer lemons are floral yet pungent, checking the sour box. Bold blue cheese grabs the salty and the umami flavors with a bonus creamy, fatty mouthfeel. Belgian endive is bitter yet sweet, crisp and juicy.
Belgian endive and Meyer lemons are in high season during winter months. Meyer lemons are moderately acidic and far sweeter than a regular lemon; the zest is lusciously aromatic.
This Endive and Roquefort Slaw with Peel and Eat Shrimp is casual, but with a bit of flair that breaks the monotony of months of home cooking and the lull of cold weather comfort food. Shrimp have been a mainstay in my regular cooking rotation during COVID-19. (Make sure to seek out shrimp that is deemed sustainable by Seafood Watch.) Slaw is often a down-home summer side dish, but here it’s made with uptown ingredients. The sweetness of the shrimp, sharpness of the lemon, and grassiness of the lettuce and herbs is as refreshing as a winter supper can be.
Virginia Willis is an Atlanta-based Food Network Kitchen chef, James Beard Award-winning food writer and author of seven cookbooks. Follow her at virginiawillis.com.
- 12 cups water
- 2 tablespoons loose seafood boil seasoning
- 1 1/2 pounds unshelled large shrimp (21/25 count)
- 4 large heads Belgian endive, halved lengthwise, cored, and cut lengthwise into strips
- 3 stalks celery, thinly sliced on the bias
- ½ cup whole parsley leaves
- Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, preferably Meyer, plus wedges for serving
- 2 teaspoons mayonnaise, or to taste
- 4 ounces Roquefort or high-quality blue cheese, crumbled
- Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Combine the water and your favorite seafood boil in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to low. Simmer 10 minutes to make a flavorful court bouillon.
- Return the heat to high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Add the shrimp and boil until the shells are pink and the meat is white, 1 to 2 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain immediately.
- Meanwhile, combine the endive, celery, parsley, lemon zest and juice, and mayonnaise in a large bowl. Add most of the blue cheese, leaving some to garnish the top. Taste and adjust for seasoning with salt and pepper. Top with reserved blue cheese. Serve the slaw and shrimp immediately with additional lemon wedges on the side. Serves: 4
Nutritional information
Per serving: Per serving: 245 calories (percent of calories from fat, 41), 30 grams protein, 6 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 11 grams total fat (6 grams saturated), 240 milligrams cholesterol, 1,841 milligrams sodium.Read more stories like this by liking Atlanta Restaurant Scene on Facebook, following @ATLDiningNews on Twitter and @ajcdining on Instagram.
