Chaya's Chopped Salad (Shrimp)

Chopped romaine lettuce tossed with fresh corn, avocado, cucumber and nicely spiced shrimp, this salad is big and bright, and it packs no shortage of heat from its jalapeno-spiced dressing. Chaya' restaurant was happy to share its recipe for chopped salad.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• The Dressing

• 2  jalapenos
• 1⁄2 cup  plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1  lemon, juice of
• 2  tablespoons  extra-virgin olive oil
•  salt
•  ground black pepper

• Sauteed Shrimp

• 1  tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1⁄8 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1⁄8 teaspoons onion powder
• 3⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  plus 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1  pinch  ground red pepper (cayenne)
• 1  pinch celery seed, powder (see note below)
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 12  ounces medium shrimp

• The Salad

• 2  hearts romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1  cucumber, diced
• 1⁄2 avocado, diced
• 1  cob white corn, kernels removed (about 1 1/3 cups kernels)
• 1⁄4 cup  crumbled Cotija cheese
• 16  cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped cilantro

Directions

1. To prepare the dressing: Place the jalapenos on a rack set over a stove-top burner or on the grill and roast until charred on all sides. When cool enough to handle, peel and seed. In a blender, combine jalapenos, mayonnaise, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil; blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until needed.
2. To prepare the shrimp: In a small bowl, combine chili powder, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, 1/4 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, cayenne pepper and celery seed powder to make a spice blend.
3. Heat a saute pan over medium-high heat until hot, then add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add shrimp and sauté until slightly opaque, 1 - 2 minutes, then sprinkle the spice blend over the shrimp, shaking pan and continue cooking just until opaque. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. To assemble the salad: In a large bowl, toss chopped romaine with the cucumber, avocado, corn kernels and sauteed shrimp. Add half the dressing and gently toss to coat. Add additional dressing, a couple of tablespoons at a time, to coat as desired.
5. Divide the salad among 4 plates; top each with 1 tablespoon cheese, 4 halved tomatoes and 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro. Serve immediately.
6. Note: For the celery seed powder, grind celery seeds in a spice or coffee grinder, or use a mortar and pestle.