Weekly Recipe #63: Serendipitous Shrimp Appetizer

By Tim Reardon, Executive Director

I was once asked to bring a dish to a dinner party. As I walked into Byerly’s, I ran into my neighbor Amy and her daughter, and mentioned that I was on the hunt for an appetizer. She told me she had the perfect recipe and gave me a list of ingredients to pick up. Her daughter exclaimed that it was her favorite dish! By the time I got home, she’d sent me the recipe; I’d never had anything like it, so I gave it a go.

I arrived at the dinner party bearing my new dish and told folks about my experience getting the recipe. Fifteen minutes later, my friend Cherie walked in — with the exact same appetizer! She also had never made it before, but had tasted it at an event a few weeks prior. Both of our dishes were a hit.

After that serendipitous start, I now make this recipe all the time, and it’s now MY daughter’s favorite — she begs me to make it! I hope you enjoy it.

Serendipitous Shrimp Appetizer

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 whole green onion, finely minced
3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tsp. Asian Chile sauce (Thai Style Chili Sauce)
1/4 tsp. salt

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4″ cubes
2 small ripe avocados, cut into 1/4″ cubes
1 lb. bag of shrimp, cut into 1/4 ” pieces

1. Combine the first seven ingredients in a bowl and stir.
2. Add the last three ingredients to the dressing mixture 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy with crackers or a sliced baguette.