I am recipe developer by trade, so friends and family often ask me to recreate favorite dishes from local restaurants or food businesses. I always try, with varying degrees of success. These requests become more frequent, and more urgent, when a place closes. A favorite, classic lunch place in Memphis closed not too long ago, and several friends have since asked me how to make their signature shrimp ravigote, a long time mainstay on the menu. I’ve been tinkering with it for a while, but with the heat of summer creeping in, it seemed like the perfect time to post a recipe for a cold, refreshing summer salad like this one.
There are many versions of shrimp ravigote, cold and hot, spicy and simple. Ravigote is derived from the French word meaning to “freshen up” so a fresh, chilled salad seems logical to me. I started the process of re-creating the recipe by polling everyone who asked me for it what they liked about this particular version of shrimp ravigote. A few told me they loved that it included eggs. One disputed that there were eggs in it at all. Some remembered it as being mild, while others remembered it being spicy with horseradish. That’s why reconstructing a recipe is sometimes so tough – memory and reality often diverge. So I researched recipes online and in old community cookbooks. Fortunately, I had Instagrammed a photo from the restaurants’ last week in business, so I could look back at that for reference. In the end, I am not sure I have faithfully re-created the exact restaurant version, but it is the version I like. Eggs, not too spicy, delightfully refreshing. My photo from the restaurant shows the salad served on a lettuce leaf with a few slices of avocado and a cheese straw – and I recommend that way of serving it as well.
- 4 large eggs
- 2 pounds peeled and deveined shrimp
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimentos, drained
- 4 green onions, finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
- 2 Tablespoons capers, drained
- 2 Tablespoons ground mustard powder
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons jarred horseradish
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Rinse off the outside of the eggs, then place them in a saucepan covered by water by about an inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. When the water reaches a boil, cook the eggs for 7 minutes. Meanwhile, fill a sink or large bowl with ice water. When the seven minutes are up, transfer the eggs to the ice water with a slotted spoon. Drop the shrimp into the boiling water and cook for 3 – 4 minutes, just until they are firm, pink and cooked through. Drain and plunge into the ice water. Leave to cool completely, then drain both the eggs and the shrimp.
- Mix the mayonnaise, pimentos, green onions, parsley, capers, mustard powder, lemon juice, horseradish, salt and pepper together in a large bowl and stir to fully combine, making sure everything is evenly distributed.
- Roll the eggs on the counter to crack the shells all over, then peel. Rinse with cool water to remove any shell, then pat them dry. Finely chop the eggs and add them to the dressing. Add the shrimp and stir to coat with the dressing, again making everything is evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld. Serve chilled
How fortuitous that I just stumbled across your site and found this recipe! I’m also a native Memphian, although I haven’t lived there for years, and I’ve often wanted to recreate my favorite dish from the University Club’s Sunday brunch – and I think this is it. Their version also added ersatz crab, but I can take or leave that. My mother and I have discussed the shrimp salad we used to have at their brunches and were unable to come up with a good match, so I’m very excited! Thank you!