Shrimp, Bacon and Avocado Salad Recipe

Shrimp is truly the fruit of the sea, and the logic is quite self-explanatory. Those little crustaceans can be boiled, broiled, baked, grilled, or lightly fried in coconut oil for a more exotic flavor.

There are endless ways to cook them, and any which way; they are absolutely scrumptious. With a little practice, you will be able to devein a pound of shrimp in no time at all.

If you are new to the experience of having to prepare the shrimp for yourself and your dinner mates, get ready for a bit of anatomy.

Shrimp have a hard outer shell consisting of segmented pieces, a fairly soft underside, lots of legs, and a tail. If you buy them fresh, they will often have their heads on as well. And keep those shells (and heads) for making fish stock.

By hand, start by pulling off the legs and crack the shell open along the underside with your fingers and remove the remaining shell.

Remove the vein by making a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp, and remove the digestive tract with the knife tip. Once you get the hang of it, cleaning shrimp, or any fish, becomes second nature.

In the case that you already consume enough greens and want to diversify your vegetable options, why not try celeriac grits instead of a bed of lettuce?

Another name for the same tuber is celery root, and it can be eaten raw or cooked; if you aren’t familiar with it, start exploring it today!

For a thirst-quenching drink to serve with this shrimp salad, keep in mind that lemon always compliments fish – make a large batch of fresh lemonade with thyme to hit the spot. If you are ready to go all out for dessert, you can even whip up some Paleo lemon sorbet.

Serves: 4 Prep: 5 min Cook: 15 min

Ingredients

• 1 cup bacon, chopped
• 1 lb. shrimp, deveined and shelled
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Pinch of salt
• Lettuce
• Cubed avocado
• Chopped fresh tomato

Dressing Ingredients

• 1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt & pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Fry the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. Add the shrimp to the bacon fat in the skillet and fry until cooked through about 2-5 minutes.
3. Quickly add the garlic, lemon juice, and salt to the shrimp and fry for another 30 seconds. Remove and set aside.
4. To make the dressing – combine all the ingredients and stir well.
5. To assemble the salad, place the avocado, tomato, shrimp, and bacon on a bed of lettuce, then drizzle the dressing over it all.
6. Toss and serve.