Summer Pastabilities: Bow-Thai Shrimp Salad

Does anything scream "summer" more than a pasta salad? I don't think so.

Unfortunately, sometimes we get pretty tired of the same old recipes -- macaroni salad with mayo and tuna, basil pesto salad with tomatoes, vegetable pasta salad with Italian vinaigrette... can you say hum-drum?

That's where this delicious vegetable-forward pasta salad comes into play.

If you like Thai food, there's a good chance you'll develop an affection for this fresh summer salad.

It uses hearty whole wheat pasta, briny shrimp, crunchy cucumbers, flavorful sweet peppers, and tender spinach leaves -- all coated with a light Thai-style coconut curry dressing with plenty of lime juice to keep things fresh and bright.

It's crisp and flavorful ... perfect for hot summer days when the mere thought of turning on your oven makes you sweat.

But before you run off to make the recipe, you might want to read a bit further.

This recipe was created for the Hodgson Mill "Summer Pastabilities" contest. Hodgson Mill provided us with the Whole Wheat Bow Ties for the recipe. They've also given us a link to share with you to get a $1 off coupon for your next purchase of healthy whole grain pasta (including gluten-free varieties).

They've also agreed to provide a prize pack to one lucky Burp! reader. The pack includes:

• Two (2) boxes Whole Wheat Bow Tie (10 oz. each)
• Two (2) boxes Whole Wheat Medium Shells (16 oz. each)
• Two (2) boxes Whole Wheat Angel Hair (16 oz. each)
• One (1) box of a brand new product, Lemon Pepper Quinoa and Brown Rice
• An assortment of Hodgson Mill-branded kitchen supplies (measuring cups and spoons, spatula, dough scraper)
• A coupon for a future purchase of Hodgson Mill products

For your chance to win, all you have to do is tell us which pasta you'd use first -- and what you'd make with it.

Giveaway ends on Thursday, August 15, 2013 at 11:59 p.m. Winners will be chosen at random and notified by email, so please leave your email addy with your comment if it's not included with your Blogger profile.

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Bow-Thai Shrimp Salad
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes
Equipment needed: small mixing bowl, large mixing bowl, colander, large pot, knife, rubber spatula, whisk

Ingredients

Dressing:
3/4 cup low-fat coconut milk
2 T fish sauce
3 T brown sugar
1 T Thai-style red curry paste (or more, to taste)
Juice of one lime (3-4 T)
zest of one lime
salt and pepper, to taste

Pasta Salad:
1 10 ounce box Hodgson Mill Whole Wheat Bow Ties
1 lb medium peeled, precooked shrimp, thawed
2 cups chopped red, orange, or yellow sweet peppers
1 medium seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise and sliced into ¼ inch half-moons
3 scallions, thinly sliced
5 ounces fresh spinach leaves, coarsely chopped
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

To make the dressing, whisk together the coconut milk, lime juice, fish sauce, red curry paste and brown sugar in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved and the ingredients are well incorporated. Add the lime juice, and lime zest and whisk again. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To make the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the bow ties, and cook until al dente, approximately 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and immediately run plenty of cold water over it until it is completely cool. Drain well.

Put the pasta in a large bowl, and, using a rubber spatula, fold in enough dressing to coat it generously. Gently fold in the shrimp and vegetables, adding more dressing as needed to coat.

Do ahead: You can cook the pasta a few hours ahead, run cold water over it and drain. Spread the pasta in a single layer over a lightly oiled baking sheet. Cover the pasta with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

The dressing can also be made earlier in the day; but keep it separate and toss the pasta salad with the dressing just before serving.

Makes 6 main course servings
Serving size: 1 1/2 cups
Key words: pasta salad, whole wheat pasta, cucumbers, peppers, spinach, coconut milk, curry, Thai, shrimp, seafood, cilantro

©BURP!