Thai Noodle Salad with Grilled Shrimp
Recipe provided by Brian Nathanson, Executive Chef
McCormick & Schmick’s at the Museum of Flight, Seattle, WA
Serves 4
32-40 small shrimp (41/50 size),divided onto 4 skewers
4 c. cooked rice noodles, chilled
8 c. mixed Asian vegetables – julienne or sliced thin (such as Bok choy, carrot, red pepper, cucumber, radish, snow peas, green onion)
4 Tbs. chopped cilantro
4 Tbs. chopped basil
2 ripe mangos, peeled and diced
16 oz. Thai salad dressing (recipe below)
Marinate the shrimp skewer with a small amount of the Thai salad dressing for several hours. When ready to cook, pre-heat the grill or broiler.
While the grill is heating, combine the vegetable mix, the chopped cilantro, chopped basil and 8 ounces of the salad dressing in a bowl and toss well. Divide this mix among your serving plates.
Place the cooked rice noodles in the same bowl as you tossed the vegetables and mix with 4 ounces of the salad dressing. (If the noodles are a little stuck together, the dressing will help keep them separated.) Place the noodles on your serving plates, on top of the vegetable mix.
Once the grill is hot, cook the shrimp skewers about 2 minutes each side or until opaque. Small shrimp will cook quickly, so be careful not to overcook.
Place the cooked shrimp on top of the noodles on your serving plates, brush with a little of the salad dressing, and garnish with the diced mango.
Thai Salad Dressing
Yield: Approximately 24 oz.
This will make a little more than you need for this recipe. It keeps fairly well.
1 Tbs, chopped shallot
½ Tbs. chopped garlic
1 Tbs. chopped cilantro
1 ½ Tbs. chopped mint
2 Tbs. chopped basil
1 fresh jalapeno pepper- seeded & chopped
1 Tbs. Thai fish sauce
½ c. Thai sweet chili sauce
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 c. rice vinegar
¼ c. sesame oil
1 c. salad oil
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lime
Combine all ingredients except the oils in a blender or food processor. Run on medium speed, adding both the oils slowly until fully incorporated and completely emulsified.
This dressing is better if it is allowed to sit for a day before using.
