My friend Mary served this shrimp and pasta salad to our bridge group for lunch not too long ago. I especially loved the lemony dressing, and she agreed to give me the recipe. When someone else asked Mary for the recipe she said, “Sorry. Now you need to wait for Martha’s cookbook!”Lemon Shrimp Pasta Salad
Martha Greenlaw, Recipes From a Very Small Island

Creamy Lemon-Garlic Dressing

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed through a press or minced
½ cup light olive oil
1 Tablespoon sour cream
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad

½ pound rotelle (or other similar shaped pasta)
1 cup snow peas, halved diagonally if large
1 pound cooked Maine shrimp, shelled and deveined
½ cup thinly sliced scallions
⅔ cup sliced black olives
1½ cups toasted croutons
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
6 cups torn Romaine leaves
1 lemon, thinly sliced, slices halved

Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon zest and juice, mustard, Worcestershire, and garlic. Whisk in the oil and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente, about 10 minutes. Add the snow peas to the pot for the last 30 seconds of cooking time. Drain into a colander, rinse with cold water, and drain again. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the shrimp, scallions, and olives and toss to combine. Add about ½ cup of the dressing or enough to coat and stir gently. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to blend the flavors.

Before serving, add the croutons and cheese and toss gently. If the salad seems dry, add some or all of the remaining dressing. Spread a bed of lettuce onto one large platter or individual plates, spoon the salad over, garnish with lemon slices, and serve.

Serves 6.

Martha Greenlaw is a cookbook author, MF&L columnist, and Isle au Haut resident.