Shrimp Salad Rolls
One of my most cherished memories as a child is spending the summer afternoons, on the tidal creeks of the Vernon River, shrimping with my father. Before heading out for an afternoon of shrimping, we would always swing by the drive-thru at Krystal’s to pick up a sack full of burgers and fill up our neon koozie insulated soft drink coolers, the Yeti cup of the 80’s, with sweet tea. Mine, of course, was hot pink.
Armed with our sustenance, we loaded up the Carolina Skiff with shrimping nets, buckets, life vests and sunscreen. My dad cranked up the outboard, spray painted black, a common Savannah thing to thwart thieves from stealing motors. It sputtered, coughed, spit some saltwater and then hit a rhythmic hum, as I untied the lines and hopped in the boat.
In the creek, my dad killed the motor and I would assume my position in the stern of the boat and my dad on the bow, to cast the net. As my dad cast, he deposited the harvest into the hull of the skiff, with a thud as the weights hit the fiberglass, spilling out saltwater, the catch, and sometimes nothing. My job was to cull out the finger mullet, menhaden, squid, puffer fish and other creatures while placing all the scrumptious shrimp in a bucket, for safe keeping. I took my job very seriously, taking diligent care to make sure all the fish made it back into the sea alive. Hence, I earned the ironic nick name of Mullet Girl, after the fish, not the unfortunate hairstyle popular in the 80’s.
As a family we all enjoyed the work that went into shrimping, from the catch and cull, to de-heading, preparation and cleaning the boat. The reward being boiling up a large pot of shrimp to enjoy on the porch with lemons and cocktail sauce, in the afternoon sea breeze. The leftovers were often made into a simple Shrimp Salad with a little mayo, in our house it was Hellman’s, celery and a snip of fresh herbs from the kitchen garden. Today, I love serving this salad on a toasted, buttered brioche bun for a light summer dinner while entertaining friends and family. After all, fresh caught wild shrimp from our coastal waters is the Lowcountry equivalent of Lobster and should be celebrated and enjoyed as such.
When the shrimp nets came up empty, we would walk down the street to The Dubberly’s in Vernonburg, GA to visit Frank and Jean Dubberly and Debbie. They always have the most beautiful “Sweet Savannah Shrimp,” straight off their boats, Daddy’s Boy and Jenna Renne. I have been enjoying the Dubberly’s shrimp ever since I can remember and you can still find them in the same spot today, selling the freshest wild caught shrimp in Savannah.
Hostess Tip: Substitute Lobster or Lump Crab Meat in this recipe for 3 times the summer seafood roll fun! Hosting a summer soiree? Make a couple of batches with different shellfish and let your guests choose their favorites. And talk about easy entertaining, serve your shrimp rolls with a salad full of garden fresh veggies, kettle chips and a grazing board for an appetizer, all of which can be made well in advance of your guests arrival and best of all you don’t have to turn on the stove or oven!
Shrimp Salad Rolls
Makes 4 Rolls
1 pound, cooked and peeled large Shrimp
¼ cup (1 stalk) Celery, finely chopped
¾ cups mayo
1 teaspoon Hostess Provisions Pickled Shrimp Seasoning
Juice of ½ Lemon
Brioche hot dog buns, lightly toasted and buttered
Green leaf lettuce (optional)
Tomato slices (optional)
1 hard boiled egg, grated (optional)
In a bowl, mix together cooled grilled shrimp, celery, mayo, and Pickled Shrimp Seasoning. Squeeze in lemon juice and continue to mix until the shrimp are coated in mayo. Serve immediately or let the flavors of the salad marinate in the fridge for a few hours or overnight.
Serve on toasted buns with lettuce, tomato, and a pinch of Pickled Shrimp Seasoning.
Shrimp Salad Rolls
Wild Caught Sweet Savannah Shrimp fresh off the boats at Dubberly’s Seafood in Vernonburg