Miso Shrimp Salad

When the temperature in Seattle tops 80 degrees Fahrenheit, we grumble and whine. When it nears or exceeds 90 degrees our complaints approach 2-year-old tantrum levels. Luckily, that doesn't happen often. Unfortunately, it's happening right now. Since the vast majority of our homes don't have air conditioning we start to look for no-cook recipes in hot weather.



This shrimp salad is incredibly simple to prepare but layers flavors to keep it interesting. It's also a good way to use miso paste, particularly if the only thing you do with it is make soup. It's far more versatile, but more on that in a future post. I use frozen pre-cooked shrimp so I don't have to touch the stove, but you could spend a few minutes steaming or poaching it. Grilled shrimp would add some depth to the flavor. Daikon radish is a little sweeter and has a little less bite than red radishes and the bonus is that you can make the rest into mild pickles. Wakame is dried seaweed that's usually added to soups, where it expands like a magic sea creature. It makes an interesting, crunchy topping served as-is. If you can't find it, shred some nori -- dried seaweed used to make sushi rolls.

Miso Shrimp Salad
serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons white miso
2 tablespoons hot water
1-1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame chili oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound cold, cooked shrimp
2 packed cups salad greens
1 teaspoon light olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup grated daikon radish
wakame
sesame seeds

Combine the miso and hot water in a bowl and stir until the miso is mostly dissolved (some brands won't completely dissolve). Stir in the honey, soy sauce, sesame chili oil and salt.

Add the shrimp and thoroughly coat. Let the mixture marinate for 30 minutes.

Toss the greens with the olive and sesame oils. Divide among four plates. Divide the daikon radish among the plates. Top each salad with one-quarter of the shrimp mixture and drizzle with a little of the marinade.

Garnish with a few wakame flakes and sesame seeds.

Note: the amount of sesame chili oil is only enough to add barely a hint of a kick. Feel free to add more.