Shrimp Cashew and Mango Salad or Lettuce Wrap

Know what sounds good on a hot summer day?

by Scotty Irani
Food Columnist

Happy July and happy summer. As a chef, wonderful recipe ideas do not always pop into my head. Especially when your editor text messages you to let you know the deadline for that “Gayly” article is due…and you forgot. (Tick-tock.)

Inspiration can also come from friends and thanks to two different friends who talked about salad and lettuce wrap ideas with me, inspiration has bloomed and a fantastic recipe for you wonderful Gayly readers has blossomed to life.

Michael Z. and his lovely wife Emily were at my home for dinner, celebrating Michael’s double win and title as a “Mr. Oklahoma” in a state body building competition. Of course, my question was (besides “any pictures?”) was “what did you eat while training?” Michael’s cheat-day meal that he loved was boiled shrimp and cashews drizzled with a little avocado oil.

One of my best friends, Chad Weatherly, who has been a catalyst for a lot of my recipes, messaged me asking for a lettuce wrap idea he could easily prepare and enjoy after his workout.

Thus, the inspiration.

For the Salad/Wrap

1 pound cooked (21-25) sized shrimp, peeled and deveined

3/4 cup whole roasted, unsalted cashews (chopped for wraps)

2 ripe fresh mangos, julienned (diced for wraps)

Bibb lettuce or Butter-head lettuce leaves, rinsed and dried well

1 large avocado, pit removed and avocado scooped, sliced or diced (optional)

1 large red bell pepper, julienned (chopped for wrap)

1/2 cup shredded carrots

2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped

For the Dressing

3 tablespoons avocado oil (or any light oil of your choosing)

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Pinch of fresh lime zest

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1. The basic premise between the salad or a lettuce wrap is how you prepare the ingredients of the salad portion. Larger pieces for the salad, smaller chopped pieces if you’re wanting wraps.

2. For a salad: line a platter with washed and dried butter head lettuce. In a bowl combine the peeled and deveined cooked shrimp and other sliced ingredients.

3. For the dressing: in a non-metallic bowl add the vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, honey, salt and cayenne. Whisk until combined. Slowly drizzle in the avocado oil, whisking rapidly to emulsify. Pour the dressing into the bowl with salad ingredients before you’re ready to serve and toss. Spoon out the salad onto the lined platter, garnish with whole mint leaves and serve.

4. For lettuce wraps: stack the whole lettuce leaves into a neat pile. In a bowl combine the chopped shrimp, chopped cashew, diced avocado, diced mango, chopped pepper, carrots and mint. Toss to combine.

5. Spoon the chopped mixture into one lettuce leaf. Drizzle in a bit of the dressing, tuck in top and bottom of the leaf and roll the wrap like a burrito.

Open your mouth and insert.

Enjoy!
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Chef Scotty