Virtual Supper Club ... A Jump on Summer Indulgence

May's Virtual Supper Club theme asks us to contemplate 'our favorite indulgence' ... and I am here to tell you that come May, my favorite indulgence is jumping the season to grab onto summertime seafood, fresh summertime vegetables, corn that I have stockpiled from last summer and placed in the deep freeze, and light citrus zest and juice to make a tribute to what's coming full speed in the next few months!

This time of year is always such a tease ... the first warm days tempt us to think about those summertime days when we can throw off the shirts and jeans, put on the shorts and t-shirts and pad around the back yard barefoot. The grill is still in the garage, but we're already thinking about pulling it out, dusting it off, and checking the propane.

That's exactly what I was thinking about, as I prepared this salad on my cook top tonight. This was such a good warm salad, but it will be even better when I can sear the shrimp and chorizo sausage on the grill and use fresh corn from the roadside stand, tomatoes from my backyard plot, and basil from the herb garden. Tonight, I used the freshest cherry tomatoes I could get (and they was pretty good, but still from afar), frozen corn from last summer's bounty, good chorizo and frozen shrimp to prepare the recipe from the latest Cooking Light Special - Fast & Fresh 20-Minute Recipes. The prep time is so small a window that each of the ingredients stays true ... the binding flavours are the super hot chili sauce, the lemon zest and the lemon juice, and the green herbiness of the fresh basil. Aahhhh ... summer on a plate!

Such an easy warm salad - truly - made in 20 minutes, plated, photographed and knoshed with slices of Dakota bread for sopping the juices and glasses of wine. Healthy, crunchy, and full of flavour! Now, I wonder what everyone else is making for this month's 'Favorite Indulgence'  ... let's check out the menu!

Yes, You May! Our Favorite Indulgences Menu

Appetizer - Val's Salt Roasted Shrimp with Lemon Honey Dipping Sauce

Salad - Susan's Shrimp, Chorizo, and Corn Salad

Main Dish- Sandi's Filet with Bourbon Coffee Sauce

Side Dish - Sarah's Garlic Herb Fries
Vegetable Side - Shelby's Mirin Glazed Mushrooms

Dessert- Jerry's Lemon Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Blueberry Sauce



Shrimp, Chorizo, and Corn Salad
a Cooking Light recipe

Ingredients:

¾ lb. large shrimp, peeled and de-veined

2 c. roasted corn, cut from the cob

⅓ c. thinly sliced purple onion OR sliced green onions (green and white parts)

1 ½ tbsp. super hot Sriracha sauce OR Thai chili and garlic sauce

2 tsp. fresh garlic, minced

½ tsp. Kosher salt

1 ¾ oz. good firm chorizo sausage, thinly sliced

½ c. fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

12 red cherry tomatoes, halved

12 yellow cherry tomatoes, halved

 1 ½ tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. lemon zest

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Making the Salad:

1. Combine the prepped shrimp, corn, onion, hot sauce, garlic, salt, and sausage in a big bowl.  Toss gently to coat the ingredients with the sauce and distribute the garlic and salt.
2. Heat a fry pan to searing hot. Add the olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan.
3. Dump the mix into the pan and let it sear, tossing every few minutes to get some color on the shrimp and corn.
4. Cook for 4 minutes, then add most of the tomatoes and most of the basil. Toss to warm the tomatoes and wilt the basil.
5. Turn the warm salad into salad bowls. Drizzle on the lemon juice, top with the rest of the tomatoes and fresh basil. Sprinkle on black pepper and serve with crusty read and a glass of wine.