Shrimp and Corn Salad with Basil Dressing

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Sometimes I throw together a recipe for no real reason (well, that’s not exactly true. I’m a food writer, so there’s always a reason) and there’s NO ONE THERE TO EAT IT.  This makes me crazy, seriously mad. The single main reason I love to cook is to feed people. It may be needy on my part, it may require some deep psychological investigation on the part of a therapist, but that’s just the unwavering truth.

So, I make this dish because I have leftover corn, shrimp that I’ve defrosted and therefore must cook right away, and basil because it’s summer and I always have a half a bunch of basil waiting to be put into service before it slumps. And it’s beautiful. And it’s delicious. And there’s no one home. So I put it in the fridge.

Thank god the very next morning one of my best friends, Jean, came over for a long overdue catch up. I tried to make her think this shrimp and corn salad was a reasonable breakfast offering, but she was still working on her coffee, so I did what any food writer who craves feedback would do. I made her stay until lunch.

Boy, I am needy, aren’t I?

But how pretty, right?  I might also make this with scallops, or a combo of scallops and shrimp or maybe scallops and shrimp and calamari, maybe a total of 2 pounds of seafood, and then it would really be a robust seafood corn salad.  What a summer lunch that will be.

More Summer Corn Recipes:

• Corn and Zucchini Fritters
• Sautéed Corn and Zucchini in Lemony Browned Butter
• Bacon, Fresh Corn and Oregano Cornbread
• Salmon Corn Chowder
• Grilled Corn Salad

Shrimp and Corn Salad with Basil Dressing

5 from 3 votes

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 5 minutes mins

Chilling Time: 5 minutes mins

Total: 25 minutes mins

Servings: 6 People

A must-make when corn is in season. This is such a good looking and satisfying salad for later summer.

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Ingredients 

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For the Salad

• ▢ 1 pound jumbo shrimp 16/20 count
• ▢ 4 cups cooked corn kernels from about 5 ears of corn

For the Dressing

• ▢ ⅔ cup fresh basil leaves
• ▢ ⅓ cup chopped red onion
• ▢ ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ▢ Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Instructions 

• Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, and generously salt the water. Add the shrimp and cook for about 4 minutes until pink and cooked through. Drain the shrimp and transfer them to the ice bath. When they are cool, peel and devein the shrimp. Place the shrimp and the corn in a large serving bowl.
• While the shrimp are cooling, place the basil, red onion, olive oil, lemon juice mustard, and salt and pepper in a bender or a food processor and process until completely blended. Pour the dressing over the shrimp and corn and toss to combine. Then write me a note and tell me how good it was. No, you don’t have to do that….unless you want to.

Notes

I might also make this with scallops, or a combo of scallops and shrimp or maybe scallops and shrimp and calamari, maybe a total of 2 pounds of seafood, and then it would really be a robust seafood corn salad. 

Nutrition

Calories: 327kcal, Carbohydrates: 21g, Protein: 18g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 191mg, Sodium: 811mg, Potassium: 232mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 190IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 121mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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