More than 20 years ago, Sara Rowe, the late partner at Shaw’s Crab House, set her chef team a lofty challenge: Create the best seafood salad in the business. The result — a luxurious jumble of sweet shellfish, crisp greens, and not one but two dressings — has been a beloved menu fixture ever since. This at-home version gets an assist from store-bought vinaigrette. Though a fair bit of prep work remains, readying the Louie dressing and salad components in advance cuts down on dinnertime assembly significantly.
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Shaw’s Signature Chopped Seafood Salad
Makes:4 salads
Active time:40 minutes
Total time:55 minutes
| 2 Tbsp. | finely diced celery |
| 1½ tsp. | minced chives |
| 2 Tbsp. | sweet relish |
| 1 cup | mayonnaise |
| ¼ cup | ketchup |
| 1 Tbsp. | apple cider vinegar |
| ½ tsp. | cognac |
| ⅛ tsp. | Tabasco sauce |
| ⅛ tsp. | Old Bay seasoning |
| Juice of 1 lemon, divided | |
| 7 | green onions, green parts only, diced, divided |
| ¼ cup plus ¼ tsp. | salt, divided |
| ¼ tsp. | black pepper, divided |
| 2 | 4 oz. lobster tails |
| 12 | extra-jumbo shrimp |
| ½ lb. | snow crab |
| 1 head | napa cabbage, halved and sliced into ¼-inch ribbons |
| 1 head | iceberg lettuce, sliced into ½-inch pieces |
| 12 | cherry tomatoes, halved |
| 1 | small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced |
| 1 | 3.8 oz. can sliced black olives, drained |
| ½ cup | chopped hearts of palm |
| ¾ cup | Italian vinaigrette |
| 4 | hard-boiled eggs, halved |
| 1 | avocado, quartered |
1. Make the Louie dressing: In a medium bowl, stir the first nine ingredients with 1½ teaspoons lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons green onions, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper until combined. Cover and reserve in the refrigerator.
2. Prepare the seafood: Fill a large bowl with ice water. Bring 4 quarts water to a boil and add ¼ cup salt and remaining lemon juice. Boil lobster for 5 minutes, then transfer to the ice bath. Boil shrimp for 3 minutes, then add to the ice bath. Remove lobster meat from shell and dice. Peel, devein, and cut shrimp lengthwise. Open crab shells with scissors and remove meat.
3. Assemble the salad: Combine greens, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, hearts of palm, remaining green onions, and vinaigrette in a large bowl. Toss well to combine, then taste and add remaining salt and pepper if desired. Divide among four dinner plates. Arrange a quarter of the seafood, eggs, and avocado on each. Serve with Louie dressing for topping.