Nothing Like a Louie Lunch - Easy and Classic!

[Virgil Bergman]

For many people in the Northwest, there is nothing that says summer
like Alaskan shrimp louie. With just a few ingredients, you can serve
a colorful dish to your friends and family. For good reason this
seafood dish is a classic menu staple. However, if you are in the mood
for an updated version of the dish's original simplicity, there are
variations that you can try, though often minimal. The flavor of this
dish is dependent on the quality of the shrimp you use, so be sure to
use the freshest and best you can find.
Original Alaskan shrimp louie requires very few ingredients, and thus
their quality is very important. For the sauce, combine mayonnaise,
ketchup, and a small amount of heavy cream. Add salt to taste and
chill dressing until you serve it. For the main dish, quarter a head
of lettuce (removing wilted outer leaves) and place on four plates.
Divide 6 cups of cooked (and cleaned) Alaskan Shrimp between the
lettuce servings. Drape each serving with a generous serving of
dressing, and cracked pepper to taste. Classic garnish are lemon
slices, pitted olives, hard-boiled egg whites, or diced tomatoes for a
little more color.
Variations to Alaskan shrimp louie are minimal because its original
recipe is just so popular. Instead of simple iceberg lettuce, some
restaurants serve mixed greens pre-tossed with balsamic vinaigrette or
they will cup the whole dish in a bowl of radicchio leaves. Asparagus
spears act as an alternative garnish, as do artichoke hearts,
cucumbers, and sliced avocado. Additionally, instead of bay shrimp,
some recipes call for lump Dungeness crabmeat, or a combination of the
both.
Whichever you choose, the original classic or a few updated touches,
this shrimp salad is sure to bring a smile to all you serve it to. No
one is quite sure where the recipe originates from; some date it back
to 1919 or before. Wherever its origins, its popularity is without
question.