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Not a fan of Thousand Island dressing? Then you definitely want to try this update to this classic! Old Bay Louie Salad features a creamy dressing flavored with Old Bay Seasoning, fresh greens, tomatoes and eggs.
What do you make when it’s too hot to turn on the stove or the oven? That one is pretty easy.
Salad.
And if you grew up in my house it would have been a specific salad – Shrimp Louie. Born in San Francisco in the early 1900’s, (although Seattle claims it as it own, as a Californian I’m sticking with San Francisco!) this classic salad of crisp lettuce – iceberg or romaine, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes and crab or shrimp is named for it’s distinctive dressing. A combination of mayonnaise, diced onions, chili sauce, parsley, cayenne and whipped cream, it’s similar to Thousand Island… and the preparation of which was my job growing up.
Like all good cooks, my mother tweaked the original recipe – adding some lemon juice, dropping the whipped cream and adding a little more cayenne.
For years, this was one of my favorite salads but lately it’s seemed a little flat and despite the increased cayenne, too sweet.
I was after a more savory version and found the answer staring me in the face from my spice cabinet.
Old Bay Seasoning!! In all honesty, this Old Bay dressing has more in common with ranch dressing than the original Louie dressing – but I think it works with this salad far better than Louie dressing – and I can’t resist dipping carrots, celery and cucumber slices into it!!
So, an updated Louie or a version of ranch, whatever you call it, I call it good – and I think you will too!
Hungry for more salads! Check out my Salad Collection!
Old Bay Louie Salad
Ingredients
- Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tablespoons green onions minced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley minced
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Salad:
- 1 head romaine or iceberg lettuce cleaned and torn into 1 1/2 inch pieces
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes sliced
- 2 persian cucumbers sliced
- 2 hard boiled eggs shells removed
- 8 oz. small langoustine tails or medium sized shrimp cooked and chilled
- 1 cup homemade croutons optional
- 1 Tablespoon fresh chives minced
Instructions
- For the dressing: Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- For the salad: Divide the lettuce evenly among 4 medium sized salad plates.
- Divide the tomatoes, cucumbers, eggs, langoustines/ shrimp and croutons (if using)evenly between the plates. Sprinkle with chives.
- Top with 2 Tablespoons of dressing or pass dressing separately.
Nutrition
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