Shrimp Salad Italian

Shrimp Romano is a bound salad, meaning that the ingredients are held together by something sticky, in this case, mayonnaise, the most common of salad binders.

The flavor of the shrimp is enhanced by the salty sweetness of the Romano cheese. Chopped prosciutto adds richness, and slivered green onions sharpen the flavors.

To save time, buy the shrimp already cooked, so all you have to do is remove the tail.

I serve the salad on a bed of sliced tomatoes with sliced avocado on top; it also makes an excellent stuffing for a tomato or avocado. Spooned into leaves of Belgian endive, it makes wonderful hors d’oeuvres.

Serve the salad with Italian toast. Brush a little olive oil on slices of Italian or French bread and bake at 350 degrees until the bread starts to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Pinot Grigio is the perfect wine to go with this meal.

For dessert, pour a little orange liqueur over a dish of lemon sorbet.

MENU

Shrimp Romano

Italian Toast

Lemon Sorbet With Cointreau

Shrimp Romano

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes

1 pound cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp

3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

2 green onions, sliced very thin

1/2 cup grated Romano cheese

Dash hot pepper sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise

Salt, pepper

2 tomatoes, sliced thin

1 avocado, cut into 12 wedges

* Remove tails from shrimp and chop into 1/4-inch pieces. Chop prosciutto into 1/4- to 1/2-inch pieces.

* Combine shrimp, prosciutto, green onions, cheese, hot pepper sauce and mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

* Arrange 1/4 of tomato slices in solid circle about 5 inches in diameter in center of plate. Mount 1/4 of shrimp mixture on tomato slices and top with 3 avocado wedges. Repeat on 3 plates with remaining tomatoes, shrimp mixture and avocado.

4 servings. Each serving: 399 calories; 1,020 mg sodium; 253 mg cholesterol; 24 grams fat; 14 grams carbohydrates; 34 grams protein; 1.34 grams fiber.

GAME PLAN

25 minutes before: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice bread and brush 1 side with olive oil. Place oiled side up on baking sheet.

20 minutes before: Chop shrimp, green onions and prosciutto.

15 minutes before: Grate Romano cheese.

10 minutes before: Begin toasting bread. Make shrimp mixture.

5 minutes before: Slice tomatoes and avocado. Put tomatoes on plates, top with shrimp mixture and garnish with avocado. Serve with 2 pieces Italian toast on the side.

INGREDIENTS

Staples

Mayonnaise

Cointreau

Olive oil

Hot pepper sauce

Pepper

Salt

Shopping List

1 avocado

1 loaf French or Italian Bread

2 ounces Romano cheese

1 bunch green onions

3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto

1 pound cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp

1 pint lemon sorbet

2 tomatoes