Godmomma Good! Aunt Vee’s Shrimp Salad!
I am on a salad kick, have you noticed? What can I say… it’s too warm to cook but we’ve got to eat… and eat well!
On these hot summer days, my mind goes back to barbecues at my grandparent’s next door. We lived in the Bronx and my family owned the 2 buildings on the corner. Nanny & Nonno lived in one apartment, Aunt Vee, Uncle Carlo, and their boys lived in the other. We lived in the next building. A very Italian close family! Ha!
Sunday Gravy gave way to outdoor meals once the temperature rose. My grandparents and Aunt Vee shared an expansive outdoor terrace that was perfectly suited for our summer fun. Although Nanny still prepared more Italian fare, Aunt Vee had different ideas. This shrimp salad was one of them.
Here’s how:
Aunt Vee was a force. I’m sure this won’t be the last time I talk about her because she was my godmother, truly my other mother. She had no girls so I always felt like her other kid. Sure she and Uncle Carlo (my godfather) had Carl & Jimmy (honorary big brothers of course, me having only sisters), but that’s not a daughter! We lost both her and Unc a couple of years ago yet I never feel like she’s very far away. She may as well be across the table when any of her dishes are served.
I remember the day I asked her for the recipe. She said “write this down”… I grabbed a pen and ripped a little scrap of paper. After telling me in a second, she said “period, that’s it!” which cracked me up so I wrote that as well.
As you can see, I was writing so quickly, my usual perfect spelling is a mess. I could correct it but then it would lose the magic of the moment. I never toss the original papers where I jotted recipes. There’s a memory attached to them. I digress. Ha!
Make this salad! It only takes a few minutes. You don’t have to start from scratch. Use frozen shrimp. Let it thaw in a bowl of water while you chop the celery and onion. Also, I list using mayonnaise or greek yogurt because I prefer subbing yogurt for mayo whenever I can. Either way, it’s a crowd-pleaser!
Annette
Godmomma Good! Aunt Vee's Shrimp Salad!
Ingredients
- • 1 lb large shrimp cleaned, cooked, & chopped
- • 1/2 red onion diced
- • 4 ribs celery chopped
- • pepper to taste
- • salt to taste
- • 1/4 cup mayonnaise or greek yogurt
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well. Chill and serve.
Notes
I prefer greek yogurt in lieu of mayo. You choose what you like best.
