One Summer evening in Barcelona, on one of my work trips for Codorníu, Peter Gascon took me for a late dinner at a Gallego Restaurant, O Peregrino. We ate many delicious things that night, but the very first dish was a revelation.

”Oh, Salipicón!” Peter exclaimed with typical enthusiasm. “That was your father’s favorite!”

Really? I had never heard of it, nor did I believe a cold shrimp salad could possibly be even on the top ten list for my dad. But it was absolutely delicious, and the perfect dish for a summer evening.

When I got home to California, I immediately looked for a recipe and realized there were hundreds-salpicón literally just means chopped with salt, and can describe many kinds of cold summer salads. But with some searching, I found this Gallego shrimp version that is pretty darn close to the first one I had with Peter.

Salpicón de Marisco

Ingredients

1 pound small shrimp
1 red pepper
1 cucumber
3 green onions
1 clove garlic
2 hard boiled eggs
1 ripe avocado
1 diced fresh tomato or halved cherry tomatoes
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil.
Fill a large bowl with cold water and lots of ice.
Add the shrimp to the boiling water, ensure the water quickly returns to a boil.
Boil shrimp for ONE minute, then drain and immediately plunge in the bowl of ice water. Ensure all shrimp are covered, and add more ice if needed.
Meanwhile, chop the pepper, cucumber, green onions, and egg into bite-sized pieces.
Mince the garlic, and smash with a little salt to form a paste.
Add oil, vinegar, and paprika to garlic and mix/shake well to combine.
Drain, peel, and chop the shrimp into bite- sized pieces.
In a large serving bowl, combine the shrimp, minced parsley, and the pepper-egg mixture, add the vinaigrette and toss well. You can chill at this point if you want to serve it colder.
Add the cubed avocado and diced tomatoes and stir gently. Serve immediately.