Are you planning a Kentucky Derby party? Here is a simple shrimp recipe you can serve in fancy mint julep cups or stemless margarita glasses. Within 20 minutes you will have everything chilling in the refrigerator. I love making things ahead of time so I am not rushing around right before the party.

If you make extra dill sauce, use it for a vegetable platter. I would puree it in a blender or food processor for a creamy, smooth texture. Sprinkle some Oregano and Sage French Grey salt to meld all the flavors together.

Have a great Kentucky Derby Party! Please post your favorite Derby recipes below and send pictures of the most outrageous hats.

Directions

1)  Ask your seafood department to peel and devein the shrimp but leave the tails on for presentation. Boil 1 pound of medium shrimp in salted water for about 3 to 5 minutes until pink and they have started to curl. Remove the shrimp from the pot and rinse with cold water to prevent them from overcooking. Drain all the water and squeeze 1 lemon over the shrimp and sprinkle with a good sea salt. I use Margarita Pink Himalayan or Oregano and Sage.

2) Peel one small cucumber and cut in half lengthwise. Use the tip of a teaspoon to scoop out seeds; discard seeds. Finely chop cucumber. Grate a quarter of a sweet yellow onion.

3) In a small bowl, combine the chopped cucumber, 1 cup of sour cream or greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons of fresh OR 1 tablespoon dried dillweed, 1 teaspoon of grated onion, 2 teaspoons of white wine vinegar, 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of sea salt or Margarita Himalayan Pink Salt with a Zest of Lime, and 2 or 3 drops of hot pepper sauce. Taste to see if you need more vinegar or salt. Place in a jar and refrigerate.

4) Place lettuce leaves in the glasses and display the shrimp. Spoon some cucumber dressing into the cup. If you place some shrimp in the cup and cover with the sauce, make sure you remove the tails first! Serve cold as an appetizer or first course. Save the extra dip for raw vegetables. Enjoy!

 This glass can be used the next day for your Cinco de Mayo Margaritas. I love that it is stemless so you do not have to worry about spilling your cocktail!

Why you want to Eat This!

• Shrimp is rich in tryptophan and omega-3 fats as well as ?at least two unique antioxidants in its nutrient composition: the xanthophyll carotenoid called astaxanthin, and the mineral selenium.? (read more) Astaxanthin is getting special attention for its anti-inflammatory properties especially when focusing on diabetes and colon cancer. Selenium is important for cardiovascular health, cognitive function and lowering depression. Make sure you are buying wild shrimp versus farm unless your know the farmer. Try spot prawns from British Columbia if you can.
• Read this article if you avoid shrimp because of cholesterol. You may change your mind!
• Cucumbers may reduce inflammation in the body, have anti-cancer benefits and are rich in Vitamin K and the antioxidant nutrients including “vitamin C, beta-carotene, and manganese. In addition, cucumbers contain numerous flavonoid antioxidants, including quercetin, apigenin, luteolin, and kaempferol.In animal studies, fresh extracts from cucumber have been shown to provide specific antioxidant benefits, including increased scavenging of free radicals and increased overall antioxidant capacity. Fresh cucumber extracts have also been shown to reduce unwanted inflammation in animal studies. Cucumber accomplishes this task by inhibiting activity of pro-inflammatory enzymes like cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2), and by preventing overproduction of nitric oxide in situations where it could increase the likelihood of excessive inflammation.” WH Foods read more
• Dill is a good source of dietary fiber, iron, calcium and magnesium and can protect against carcinogens as well as prevent bone loss. The herb may kill certain bacteria and lower cholesterol levels. There needs to be more human trials to determine how beneficial dill is to men and women.

The Ultimate Cookbook

In a medium saucepan, cook shrimp in boiling water to cover, 3 to 5 minutes until they turn pink; drain. Remove shells and central back veins; refrigerate. Peel cucumber; cut in half lengthwise. Use tip of a teaspoon to scoop out seeds; discard seeds. Finely chop cucumber. In a small bowl, combine chopped cucumber, sour cream, dillweed, onion, vinegar, salt and hot pepper sauce; set aside. Line 5 or 6 seafood cocktail glasses or sherbet dishes with lettuce leaves. Divide shrimp evenly among lettuce-lined glasses or dishes. Spoon cucumber dressing evenly over shrimp. Serve cold as a first course. Yield: 5 or 6 servings.

You may try this sauce as a dip for your favorite raw vegetables.

References:

https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=107
https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=42
https://www.nutrition-and-you.com/cucumber.html
https://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=71
https://www.livestrong.com/article/140378-health-benefits-dill-weed/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=dill+weed