Rice and Shrimp Summer Salad

For the vinaigrette:
1 cup corn or olive oil (not extra virgin)
Juice of one half lemon
2 to 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
3 minced cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon, more or less, salt
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
One half teaspoon dried oregano
Healthy pinch of crushed chili pepper
Pinch of sugar

For the salad:

6 cups cooked rice
1 to 1 and one half pounds cooked peeled shrimp, sliced in half lengthwise
1 cup finely chopped red pepper
One quarter cup finely chopped green pepper
Three quarters cup finely chopped red onion
Small bunch of finely sliced scallions
1 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts
One half cup sliced black or Greek olives
One quarter cup rinsed small capers or sliced green olives (optional)
Small jar pimentos or prepared sweet red pepper (also optional, but nice)
Minced flat leaf Italian parsley and dill, up to one half cup each
Lemon wedges for garnish

Place all ingredients for the vinaigrette into a large jar (a mayonnaise jar works well . . . ), twist on the cap and shake well. Taste and adjust seasonings. You may likely find you want a little extra salt or cracked pepper, or a tablespoon of vinegar or more lemon juice for tartness. (A note on the choice of oil: extra virgin olive oil will overwhelm this dish. Frog Commissary suggests corn oil. I like either a light or regular olive oil, but corn oil or another light tasting blend will work well. If you are opting to use a prepared dressing, go with something "Italian" and not too overpowering -- try Paul Newman's. Do add a little extra lemon juice, though.)

Place the rice in a large bowl and toss lightly with a fork. Add the remaining salad ingredients and combine. Pour on the dressing and toss again. If mixture seems too dry, moisten with either a few tablespoons of water, lemon juice for added tartness, or oil if you think it needs it. Cover and refrigerate for several hours. Serve on iceberg lettuce or a bed of mixed greens. Garnish with wedges of lemon.

About those cooked shrimp: If you've decided to buy pre-cooked shrimp, please try this to improve their flavor. Remove the tails and rinse well. Slice them in half lengthwise and put them in a large zip-lock bag. To the bag add 2 to 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, pinch of salt, one half teaspoon or more of cracked black pepper and dried oregano, some minced garlic, plus a dash of hot pepper sauce or pinch of crushed red pepper. Allow the shrimp to marinate for several hours or overnight before adding to the salad. This marinade will also work well for fresh shrimp that you plan on cooking yourself for the salad.

Another note: this salad is also delicious prepared with orzo instead of rice.

Crab, Tomato and Avocado Salad:

1 large, ripe tomato
1 small bunch cilantro
1 avocado
One half or less jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely sliced, optional
One quarter yellow pepper, finely diced
One fourth red onion, finely diced (left over from quesadillas)
2 limes
Drizzle of olive oil
1 8 ounce container of crab meat, preferably “special” or back fin
2 tablespoons melted butter
Kosher salt, cracked black pepper to taste

Slice the tomato rather thinly, discarding any watery seed sections that fall aside. Lay the slices out on a platter, and drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Salt and pepper both sides well. Rinse the cilantro and tear a small handful of leaves into pieces. Sprinkle these over the tomatoes, and if desired, drizzle a touch more olive oil on top of the cilantro. Set aside.

Halve the limes and squeeze out the juice -- you should get 2 to 3 ounces from each. (I microwave the limes on high for 10 seconds before halving -- this gets the juices flowing.) Sprinkle the tomato slices with a bit of the juice and reserve the rest. Peel the avocado, remove pit and slice. Set on a platter and sprinkle with a little lime juice. Top with some of the jalapeno pepper, if desired, and some of the rinsed and torn cilantro as well. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.

Set the crab meat into a large, shallow bowl and very gently remove any cartilage. Avoid overworking the crab and breaking or shredding the lumps of meat. Salt and pepper rather well, then sprinkle with the melted butter and toss. Add the remaining lime juice, the remaining red onion or as much as you like, as well as the diced yellow pepper. Toss gently with a fork.

The salad will not hold together as it would if it were bound with mayonnaise. In fact, it is meant to be, upon slicing into the tomato and avocado, something of salsa in its flavorings and consistency. If you prefer a firmer texture, or just would enjoy the taste, add an extra tablespoon of melted butter. A tablespoon of light olive oil will also help hold the mixture together.

Distribute the slices of tomato attractively on two serving plates, and top the tomatoes with the sliced avocado. Divide the crab and mound gently on top of the avocado. Set several wedges of the quesadillas along side. Serve immediately, preferably with frozen black raspberry margaritas. Serves two generously.