Recipe: Prawn Salad

Although not indigenous to Ukraine, prawns are just as popular there as they are here in North America. Served with fresh rye bread, this hearty prawn salad makes a wonderful light meal.

Prawns and shrimps belong to the same family as crabs and lobsters and are similar in a number of ways. They are decapod crustaceans, which means that they have 10 legs and a hard shell covering their body, although the shell that covers prawns and shrimps is much thinner than and not as hard as the shell of most other crustaceans.

As with crabs and lobsters, shrimps and prawns must shed their shells in order to grow bigger. One of the main differences between prawns and shrimps and their relatives, the crabs and lobsters, is that prawns and shrimps primarily swim about, as opposed to crabs and lobsters that crawl. (Did you know that prawns and shrimps also start their 4-year existence as males and then change into females for their final year of life? Way to go girl!)

Prawns and shrimps are an extremely good source of protein, yet are very low in fat and calories, making them a very healthy choice of food. Shrimps and prawns contain a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, which help prevent against heart disease, circulatory diseases and many other types of illnesses.

Here is what you will need to make this wonderful salad:

2 lbs of prawns, cooked
1 large lemon, juiced
4 large russet potatoes, cooked and diced
4 large hard cooked eggs, chopped
1 cup green peas, cooked
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
Sprinkle prawns with lemon juice.

Mix potatoes, chopped eggs and peas with prawns.

Season with mayonnaise and salt.

Set on a bed of salad greens, sprinkle with chopped dill, chill for one hour. For a more elegant dish, replace prawns with crab or lobster.

This recipe serves 6-8.

Smachnoho!