Sherry is an oft-overlooked ingredient, which is a shame, because its woodsy tones add depth and character to a recipe without weighing it down. In fact, just the opposite happens in this shrimp salad: The sherry actually lightens the effect of the mayonnaise, as do the herbal notes of chervil or dill.
Ingredients
For the Shrimp
- 3 cups dry white wine
- 1 bunch celery, with leaves, coarsely chopped
- 8 sprigs fresh parsley
- 8 whole black peppercorns
- 6 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and well rinsed
For the Salad
- 2 cups diced celery (¼-inch dice)
- 4½ cups prepared mayonnaise, such as Hellmann’s
- 6 tablespoons very dry Spanish sherry, such as a fino
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup chopped fresh dill or chervil leaves
- Fresh dill sprigs or chervil, for garnish
How to Make It
- Fill a large pot half full with water. Add the wine, celery, parsley, and peppercorns and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the shrimp, in batches, and simmer until just done, 1 to 2 minutes per batch. Using a skimmer, remove each batch from the pot to a colander. Drain, then run under cold water to stop the cooking. Drain again and pat dry. Set aside in a large bowl, adding each batch as it is cooked and cooled. When all the shrimp are cooked, discard the cooking stock.
- Add the diced celery to the shrimp.
- Combine the mayonnaise and the sherry in a bowl and fold this into the shrimp mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
- Shortly before serving, add the chopped dill to the salad and fold it in. Spoon the shrimp salad onto a large platter and garnish with the dill sprigs.
