I found an old Betty Crocker Cookbook. Â It’s the 40th Anniversary edition and I think it came out sometime in the 80’s because it’s got a lot of optional microwave cooking methods which I think is hilarious. Â I’ve made a couple of recipes from it before, these Chicken Wings and these Honey Almond Apple Puffs, and then I put the cookbook away and sort of forgot about it. Â Until this weekend when I was trying to find a unique, hearty salad that would work well as an entree in the summer. Â Well, Betty didn’t disappoint. Â I found this Retro Recipe Asian Inspired Salad with Shrimp and it is a perfect light meal. Â It has meaty mushrooms, shrimp for protein and fresh veggies. Â You eat this and you feel full, but not gross, know what I mean??
Pretty, isn’t it? Â I love this salad because it has a secret ingredient that I never would have thought about eating raw in a salad, but it was totally delicious.
Retro Recipe – Asian Inspired Salad with Shrimp
Ingredients
- 2 cups Baby Spinach
- 2 cups Bok Choy Chopped
- 8 oz Cleaned and Cooked Shrimp
- 1 cup Shitake Mushrooms sliced
- 1 Red Bell Pepper Chopped
- 1 Green Onion Thinly Sliced
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 2 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Chinese Five Spice
- Pinch Salt
- Pinch Pepper
- Pinch Sugar
Instructions
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Mix Spinach, bok choy, shrimp, mushrooms, bell pepper and onion in a large bowl.
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Mix remaining ingredients well and then pour over salad and toss.
Ok, so I didn’t follow the recipe exactly, I have to confess. Â The recipe actually called for Chinese cabbage which I couldn’t find in my grocery store, but google told me it was the same as Bok Choy. Â I’m not sure if that’s definitely true, but Bok Choy is my secret ingredient in this. Â I’ve only ever had it cooked and I’ve never really thought much of it. Â But, raw, in this salad, it’s got a great flavor! Â The dressing also didn’t call for salt, pepper or sugar, but I felt like it definitely needed it.
This is a salad for a true veggie lover. Â A lot of salads are only about the dressing, in my opinion. Â This one is about the fresh vegetables, all the way. Â The dressing doesn’t cover up any flavors, it’s more of a back drop in this dish. Â I’m normally all about the dressing and not so interested in the veggies, but this worked for me. Â I found myself going back for seconds. Â I like to think that the dressing is probably a reflection of the time the recipe was invented. Â Food to me is just like fashion and flavors come into and out of style. Â That’s what I love about this cookbook. Â It’s like cooking from a time machine.
The only downfall to this one is that, at least in my house, this was an adult salad. Â The kids were totally uninterested. Â However, for a Memorial Day cook out or just a nice light adults only dinner, this is perfect.