Asian Pasta Salad With Shrimp, Red Pepper and Honey Roasted Peanuts

I am certainly enjoying our summer weather and taking advantage of it and spending as much time as possible outside!  Often times we will eat out on the patio as long as it’s not raining.  It’s so peaceful and relaxing listening to the birds singing and the water flowing from our fountain.  Summer is GOOD!

I love pasta salads and I love Asian flavors so I knew this would be a winner.  This is quite possibly one of my new favorite pasta salads!  I discovered this recipe at thegalleygourmet.net.  Check out her blog – she has some fantastic recipes!

Asian Pasta Salad with Shrimp, Red Pepper, and Honey Roasted Peanuts

serves 6-8 as a main dish, 12-16 as a side dish

For the Dressing

1 Tablespoon finely minced garlic

1 Tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

6 Tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce

1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 Tablespoon granulated sugar

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

1/4 cup canola or safflower oil

For the Pasta Salad

1 pound medium shrimp

1 Tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce

1 Tablespoon dry Sherry

2 Tablespoons kosher salt

1 pound fusilli pasta

1 large red bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces

8 ounces snow peas, trimmed and thinly sliced on the bias

3/4 cup honey roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped and divided

3 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Crushed red pepper to taste

For the Dressing

In a medium bowl, whisk together the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil.  Using a wire whisk, slowly whisk in oil in a steady stream to make an emulsified dressing.  (Dressing can be made and refrigerated a day in advance.)

For the Pasta Salad

In a small bowl, marinate the shrimp in the soy sauce and sherry while preparing the other ingredients.

Bring 1 gallon of water to a boil in a large stock pot.  In a separate saucepan, heat 1 inch of water.  Arrange shrimp in a steamer basket and set over boiling water in the saucepan, cover, reduce heat to low, and steam without lifting the lid until shrimp are opaque, about 5 minutes.  Remove the basket and set aside to cool.

Add the salt and pasta to the stock pot of boiling water; cook according to manufacturer’s directions.  Thoroughly drain and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool to room temperature.

Transfer shrimp, pasta, pepper, snow peas, 1/2 cup of the peanuts, green onions, and cilantro to a large bowl; do not mix. (Pasta can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 hours.)  When ready to serve add the dressing, toss to coat, and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.  Add crushed red pepper to taste and garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup peanuts.  Enjoy!

Source: thegalleygourmet

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Asian Sesame Noodle Salad

I started making this salad a couple of summers ago and it was love at first taste.  It combines all the wonderful asian cuisine flavors I have come to love such as tamari, fresh ginger root, and peanut; culminating into one fantastic salad!

Ingredients

PEANUT DRESSING

• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 cup tamari ( or use soy sauce)
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 2 tablespoons peeled fresh ginger, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 3 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed chili pepper flakes ( or to taste)

NOODLE SALAD

• 3/4 lb linguine ( or use vermicelli or thin spaghetti)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 red bell pepper and 1 yellow pepper, seeded and cut into thin strips
• 1 cup of sliced carrots
• 2-3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender; drain and rinse well under COLD water, then toss with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, transfer to a large bowl, then add in the red bell pepper and green onions.
2. Using a food processor or blender puree all the dressing ingredients until smooth (about 2 minutes).
3. Just before serving pour the dressing over the cooked pasta and veggies, then add in the toasted sesame seeds; toss well to combine.

Source:  Adapted from Food.com