By DAVE KESSLER
Skinny Cooks Can't Be Trusted 

If you happen to get to Florida to catch raw shrimp or if you happen to have a seafood market where you can buy whole shrimp, I’ve got the instructions for making a scrumptious salad from scratch.

On the other hand, if you’re like me and need to buy boiled and peeled frozen shrimp I’ve got the recipe for that, too. Since I live so far from the ocean I’m sure thankful the frozen shrimp people make their product available in frozen food sections of all the markets around the area.

For the raw shrimp preparation, assemble the following:

3 cups of water in a cooking pot

1 tablespoon of Old Bay seasoning

2 garlic cloves, chopped

3/4 pound medium-size raw shrimp

Put the above ingredients into your cooking pot and bring it to a boil. Let it boil about 5 minutes, drain and let cool. Take the shells and tails off the shrimp and let them cool in the refrigerator for about an hour, then move on with the recipe.

(If you don’t have raw shrimp to prepare as above, just buy a 1-pound bag of boiled, peeled and frozen shrimp and let them thaw in the refrigerator.)

Boiled, peeled and chilled shrimp

1 hardboiled egg, chopped

1 celery rib and leaves, chopped

2 scallions, chopped

1/2 medium cucumber, seeds removed and "cuke" chopped

2 tablespoons cilantro

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

Drop of vanilla

Orange zest

Salt and pepper

Peanuts or cashews

Put the shrimp, egg, celery, scallions, cucumber and cilantro into a bowl to use for serving.

Make a dressing using 1/3 cup mayonnaise, cider vinegar, vanilla, orange zest, salt and pepper. Mix together well. Pour this over the shrimp in the bowl and toss well.

Serve this on a bed of greens and sprinkle some peanuts or cashews on top.

This recipe is one my daughter Ellen in Florida uses and, by golly, it’s a wonderful salad to enjoy in your home in the air conditioning … or out on the shaded patio or porch for a nice evening meal.

Readers with questions or comments for Dave Kessler may write to him in care of this publication.