Chaya's Chopped Salad (shrimp)

Total Time: 50 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 5 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 2 jalapenos
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 lemon, juice of
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• salt
• ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/8 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/8 teaspoons onion powder
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 pinch ground red pepper (cayenne)
• 1 pinch celery seed, powder (see note below)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 ounces medium shrimp
• 2 hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1 cucumber, diced
• 1/2 avocado, diced
• 1 cob corn, kernels removed (about 1 1/3 cups kernels)
• 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 16 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Recipe

• 1 to prepare the dressing: place the jalapenos on a rack set over a stove-top burner or on the grill and roast until charred on all sides. when cool enough to handle, peel and seed. in a blender, combine jalapenos, mayonnaise, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil; blend until smooth. season to taste with salt and pepper. cover and chill until needed.
• 2 to prepare the shrimp: in a small bowl, combine chili powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, cayenne pepper and celery seed powder to make a spice blend.
• 3 heat a saute pan over medium-high heat until hot, then add 2 tablespoons olive oil. add shrimp and sauté until slightly opaque, 1 - 2 minutes, then sprinkle the spice blend over the shrimp, shaking pan and continue cooking just until opaque. remove from heat and set aside.
• 4 to assemble the salad: in a large bowl, toss chopped romaine with the cucumber, avocado, corn kernels and sauteed shrimp. add half the dressing and gently toss to coat. add additional dressing, a couple of tablespoons at a time, to coat as desired.
• 5 divide the salad among 4 plates; top each with 1 tablespoon cheese, 4 halved tomatoes and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro. serve immediately.
• 6 note: for the celery seed powder, grind celery seeds in a spice or coffee grinder, or use a mortar and pestle.