Wonderful Shrimp Salad and Steak Lovers Salad

When I talked to my daughter about her birthday dinner, which we had a week ago, she said she would like to have salads; some dishes that are more on the light side. Usually, our birthday dinners tend to be rich, hearty and fattening!  So this was a very welcome change and as it turned out all of the family felt the same way.

The menu was steak lovers salad, shrimp salad, steamed asparagus and hard crusty bread with herb butter. I could kick myself, I never remember pictures.  After the fact, when we were talking about how good everything was, I remembered pictures.  These are both wonderful salads.  Steak lovers is an oldie but goodie and the shrimp salad is new.

Shrimp Salad

3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 lemon cut into quarters
4 pounds shrimp in shell (16-20) per pound
2 cups good mayo
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper and salt
6 tablespoons fresh dill
1 cup minced red onion
1 cup minced celery (6 stalks)

Bring 5 quarts of water, 3 tablespoons salt and the lemon to a boil in a large saucepan.  Add half the shrimp and reduce heat to medium.  Cook uncovered for only 3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink.  Remove with a slotted spoon and put into ice water.  Finish cooking shrimp.  Let shrimp cool and peel and devein.
Whisk together mayo, mustard, wine or vinegar, salt, pepper. Mix well and pour over shrimp. Stir and cover shrimp.  Then add onion and celery. Mix well, Check seasoning.  Serve or cover and chill for a few hours.  My youngest daughter thought this shrimp would make a good po'boy putting it on good greens and a crusty roll, the shrimp is just not fried.  I agree, I think it would be wonderful that way.
Serves: 12

Steak Lovers Salad

8 cups of greens (butter, romaine, red leaf, green leaf) I use a mixture of all these
2 cups of baby spinach
1 purple onion sliced thinly
2-4 large mushrooms, sliced or cut into match sticks
3 cups of fresh garlic green beans (recipe below)
2 medium sirloin steaks (this is what I used for our family and I really could have used one more medium size but you can use flank steak, filet mignon or whatever you would prefer)

Mix greens, onion and mushroom in large bowl and toss.
Put fresh green beans in a large pot with 3 tablespoons of olive oil on medium high heat, add 4 minced garlic cloves plus salt to taste and stir this while beans are cooking in garlic about 3 minutes. Then add the juice of half a lemon and just barely cover the beans with water.  Add 1/2 teaspoon of thyme and one vegetable bouillon cube. Cook about 5 to 7 minutes until crispy tender. Drain off juice and let set until cool.

To cook steak I have a large cast iron skillet but use any skillet that can go in the oven.  I salt and pepper the steak and lay the seasoned side down when the skillet is screaming hot and let it cook for about 5 minutes seasoned the other side after you lay it down.  After it cooks for 5 minutes then put it into a 400 degree oven for about 12 minutes.  Take it out and tent the steak with foil for about 15 minutes.  The steaks always turn out juicy and tender.  If you would prefer you could grill your steak.
When the steak has cooled slice thin diagonal strips.

Add the green beans and steak to the greens, onions, and mushrooms then toss with this dressing.

Juice of one lemon
2 heaping tablespoon of Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup olive oil
Mix first 3 ingredients and slowly whisk in olive oil.