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8 & $20 Recipe: Shrimp Rolls, Corn on the Cob and a Zingy Greek White
A twist on a summertime classic makes for easy weeknight entertaining
Eight ingredients. That's all it takes to make an entire meal from scratch. Add in a good bottle of wine for less than $20, and you've got a weeknight feast for family or friends. That's the philosophy behind our "8 & $20" feature. We hope it adds pleasure to your table.
Lobster rolls and corn on the cob are straight out of the textbook for summertime. But when it comes to making a lobster roll at home on a weeknight? Get real. The one-two-three step of cooking the lobster, then shelling, and then turning it into a filling may be a worthy project—but save it for the weekend. Shrimp rolls, on the other hand? Totally doable and delicious.
Instead of celery, the classic lobster roll add-in, this version calls for a more wine-friendly cucumber. Toasted brioche hamburger buns are an easy way to up the luxe quotient, but if you can’t find those, white bread or hot dog buns are worthy substitutes. Serve the sandwich with a simple side of steamed corn on the cob to round out the plate.
And for the wine, the combo of the buttery roll, the sweet shrimp and the mayo makes for a pretty rich dish. A Muscadet that we tried was nice and summery but got a little lost in the shuffle, while a rosé from Argentina fell flat. A super-ripe Greek white from Domaine Sigalas hit all the right notes, with enough acidity to stand up to the richness of the sandwich, plus a minerality that paired off nicely with the shrimp and the crazy sweet corn.
Shrimp Rolls and Corn on the Cob
Pair with a Greek white such as Domaine Sigalas Asirtiko-Athiri Santorini 2009 (88 points, $17)
Total Time: 30 minutes
Approximate Food Cost: $28
- 1 1/2 pounds peeled and deveined medium shrimp
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cucumber, cut into four spears, then thinly sliced horizontally
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 4 brioche hamburger rolls, toasted
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
- 4 corn cobs
1. Heat the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat on the stove until it melts. Toss the shrimp with the cayenne pepper and a pinch of salt, then add to the pan and cook until the shrimp have turned opaque and deep pink. Remove and let cool.
2. Heat 1 inch of water until it boils in a steamer big enough to hold four corn cobs. Add the corn cobs and steam until just barely cooked, around 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Cut the shrimp into 1/4 inch pieces, then mix with the mayonnaise, cucumbers and parsley, and adjust the seasoning with salt. Assemble the sandwiches and serve immediately with the corn on the side. Serves 4.
Member comments 4 comment(s)
My wife made this last night. She added a bit of Old Bay to the cayenne/salt mixture the shrimp were tossed in. She also grated some lemon zest into the shrimp/mayonnaise/parsley/cucumber mixture. Those additions improved an already great recipe. Thanks for sharing. We'll be having this again.
Didn't have any Greek wine, but drank a nice Saumur, whose acidity was great with the shrimp.