Summer Veggie Shrimp Cups

august 24, 2022

Eating light and cooking minimally go together well. This recipe for shrimp and summer vegetable lettuce cups is colorful, light, easy and versatile as appetizer or entree. You can also customize for spicy heat, types of vegetables and different proteins. Use this as your summer template.

Keep a bag of frozen shrimp at the ready and be prepared for last minute meal ideas. Shrimp defrosts quickly and is the prefect partner for all manner of cuisines. A little bit goes a long way, so this pretty pink shellfish is easy on your wallet, too.

have all ingredients prepped to go

I like to support local growers and this corn/zucchini/red pepper combination looks great at roadside stands in summertime. Button mushrooms and cilantro are my grocery purchases here. The dish gets a southwest twang from cumin and chile powder. The spicy lime garlic mayonnaise based sauce is perfect for brightening the cooked veggies.

Shrimp with Late Summer Succotash is next on the meal plan, taking advantage of local limas and fresh white sweet corn.

If this recipe looks familiar, you may have seen one of the many copycat versions of P.F. Chang’s Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Similar idea, different filling. Best lettuces for making cups are bibb, little gem (seen here), smaller leaves of romaine, butter and iceberg.

Full disclosure : this is some delightfully messy eating. Grab your bib and dig in!

Summer Veggie Shrimp Cups

recipe by Michele Humlan, The Good Eats Company

makes enough for 4-6 appetizers or four light entrees

ingredients 

½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lime juice
one medium garlic clove, zested on microplane grater
hot sauce to taste : I use 1 teaspoon sriracha
lettuce for cups/wraps : little gem (seen here), bibb, smaller romaine, butter
1 tablespoon neutral oil like canola
finely ground white pepper
fine sea salt
kernels from one large ear fresh corn
1 medium zucchini, diced
8 ounces button (white) mushrooms, chopped
½-1 sweet red pepper, diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chile powder
one pound raw shrimp, chopped
½ cup chopped cilantro
lime wedges for serving
optional : more chopped cilantro for serving

directions

1. Having all ingredients prepped means quick and easy.
2. Combine mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic and hot sauce; chill; may be made up to one week ahead.
3. In large heavy skillet, heat oil over medium high heat and when hot add corn, zucchini, mushrooms and red pepper with dashes of salt and white pepper.
4. Stir/fry for 1 ½ to 2 minutes to barely wilt vegetables.
5. Add cumin, chili powder and stir briefly.
6. Add shrimp and cilantro and stir just until shrimp turns pink, about 30 seconds.
7. Remove from heat and fill lettuce cups ( can also wait until mixture cools to room temperature) and have guests drizzle chilled sauce atop, along with squirts of fresh lime.
8. Garnish if desired with more cilantro.