Louis (Louie) Dressing for Shrimp, Seafood


 

Rita Y

TVWBB Emerald Member
I've been looking for a good Louis (Louie)-type Dressing for Shrimp and Seafood. Anyone willing to share one that they love?

Thanks,
Rita
 
I'll tell you what I don't like first: all sorts of add-ins or so much chili sauce that the crab is overwhelmed. If one wants a Cajun thing make one, a chipotle remoulade fine, a tarted up tartar sauce okay--but that ain't Louis. Though the source history is lost (it's from the West) there is little doubt that it became famous in San Francisco.

Dungeness crab for the salad is preferable to me me but certainly other crab or chopped shrimp can be used.

A leaf or two of Boston or Bibb to act as a cup or underliner to hold shredded Romaine (crosswise so there is leaf rib in each shred for crunch) and the pile of crab atop that. Common around the salad is quartered ripe tomato and hard cooked egg but I prefer diced ripe tomato (in three or four small piles) and chopped or sliced hard cooked egg (between the tomato piles) to allow the diner to easily mix egg and tomato into the salad as and if desired. A couple or three small sweet gherkins sliced into fans make a nice garnish and go well with the salad (but I think sweet pickle in the dressing is too much). A few quarters of lemon on the plate add color and can be squeezed on to the salad if desired. The crab (or shrimp) should go on the shredded lettuce and be topped with some dressing with more dressing on the side--it should not be mixed with the dressing first.


Dressing:

1 part heavy cream (1/4 c min)
1 part 'chili' sauce
4 parts mayo
1 scallion per c mayo, thinly slice off and reserve a few 'rings' from the middle of the darker green part; mince the rest
2.5 T finely chopped green bell pepper per c mayo
lemon juice
ripe olives, sliced (for garnish)

Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks. Mix the chili sauce into the mayo then mix in the minced scallion and the chopped pepper. Fold into the whipped cream. Add lemon juice a few drops at a time till bright and just lemony.

Assemble the salad as noted above topping the dressed crab with a few slices of olive and some reserved scallion rings; serve.

[To prep in advance: Make the dressing as noted but short the lemon substantially--get just a little in there though. Put the scallion rings in iced water in the fridge. Leave the olives whole. For service, whisk the dressing with a small balloon whisk to aerate and add a few drops of lemon for brightness--just enough to be slightly lemony. Slice the olives; remove the scallion rings from the water and gently pat dry; assemble; serve.]
 
Chris, thanks for putting this 2006 post into a current forum. I must have missed the reply the first time around and am delighted to have it to put into my files and onto next week's menu.

Kevin, a belated thanks for the information.

Rita
 
I made this 2 weeks ago and again last week with a combination of shrimp and crab, and let me tell you, this is the best Shrimp and/or Crab Louis that I've ever had. Don't skip the garnishes; they all add great dimension and flavor and texture interest.

This one's a "10" for sure. Thanks a bunch, Kevin! It's exactly what I had in mind. No adjustments or embellishments needed. Perfect as written.
icon_biggrin.gif


Rita
 

 

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