Shrimp Salad Banh Mi

I'm going to be honest, this recipe update is a bit of a stretch. You see, what I did is take a Shrimp New Orleans recipe and make it a creamy based salad versus oil, swap paprika for sriracha, and replace the celery and green onion with cilantro, red pepper and carrot, then throw it all on a bun and BAM, you have shrimp salad banh mi. I told you, it's a stretch, but is it also gosh dang delicious? Why yes, yes it is. Now, traditional banh mi consists of a fresh, crispy baguette, some kind of pate (which I replaced with avocado to compliment the shrimp), cilantro, pickled carrots, cucumber (I didn't have any on hand, but you can absolutely add some thin slices to this sandwich), some kind of protein, and chilis. This recipe fuses the Southern shrimp salad with Asian flavor, making a sandwich so good you'll wanna slap your mama! So to speak.

Here's what you need:

1 Skinny French Baguette 1 lb Shell-On Shrimp (cleaned)

1/4 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

1 Lemon

1/2 Lime

1/4 c. Olive Oil Mayonnaise or Canola Mayonnaise

1/2 - 1 tsp. Sriracha

1 tsp. Mirin

1 Avocado

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 Carrots

1 tbsp. White Vinegar

1 Red Pepper or Hot Chili Pepper Salt Pepper

Here's how to make it:

Fill a large stock pot with water and bring it to a boil. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze one of the halves into the boiling water, and then toss it into the pot. Season the water with about 1 tsp. salt and the Old Bay. Add the shrimp and boil until opaque but tender, about 5 minutes, then drain into a colander. Set the shrimp aside until cool enough to handle, then peel and place them in a medium-sized bowl. Warning: do not taste the shrimp while removing the shells, they are absolutely delicous. Before you know it you'll have popped them all in your mouth and will have a carrot and cilantro sandwich on your hands instead of a banh mi (I might be speaking from experience). To the shrimp, add the mayonnaise, sriracha, 1/2 tsp. mirin, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Using a box cheese grater, grate the carrots on the side with the largest holes, and scoop the shreds into a bowl. Add the other 1/2 tsp. mirin, white vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well.

Next, cut the avocado in half and remove the pit. Scoop the flesh into the bowl of a food processr and squeeze in the lime and other half of the lemon. Add salt and pepper to taste. With the motor running, add a steady stream of olive oil to the avocado until you have a light, mousse-like texture.

For the final phase, cut the baguette in half, slice it open, then spread the whipped avocado on the inside of each half of bread. Pile the shrimp on the bottom, then top with some carrots, cilantro, and top with thinly sliced chili or red pepper. Enjoy!

For another great banh mi recipe, check out frommyimpossiblytinykitchen's Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi

#sandwich #banhmi #shrimp #cilantro #salad #asian #ashleyandanappetite