This is a perfect main-course salad to serve on a hot, sultry day. With the exception of the rice, there is very little cooking involved and you can even make it with pre-cooked rice you zap in the microwave. Close your eyes, and you’ll think you’ve been transported to Bourbon Street, with all the flavors of a traditional Jambalaya.
Ingredients
- 1 bag boil-in-bag rice (like Success)
- ½ – 1 lb. cooked, deveined shrimp (cut into bite-sized pieces, if needed)
- ½ – 1 lb. cubed smoked ham
- 1 basket cherry or grape tomatoes
- 1 bunch green onions, chopped, including some green
- ¼ cup drained mild pepper rings, chopped (like Marzetti)
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- Salt, freshly ground pepper, to taste
- ⅓ – ½ cup Western French salad dressing, or country-style French dressing of choice (Catalina can be substituted)
- lettuce leaves
- Garnish: chopped green onion or peppers, chopped fresh thyme
Recipe
- Cook rice according to package directions; drain well and let cool.
- To the cooled rice, add the shrimp, ham, tomatoes, green onions, peppers, and seasonings. Stir in ⅓ cup of the dressing. Taste the salad and adjust the seasonings and dressing to your liking. (The rice mixture should be moist but not dripping with dressing.)
- Chill for at least 30 minutes. Serve on a bed of lettuce leaves. Garnish with more green onion or chopped peppers, and fresh thyme. Makes 4-6 servings.
Source: Barbara Walch
