We're just getting into mid August now, and these are the real dog days of summer. No surprise, this has been a particularly hot one. I was trying to think of some refreshing cool dishes to post and this came to mind. After all, what's cooler than a cucumber? This cucumber and shrimp salad is easy to make and super tasty. The small pink shrimp are delicious slathered in homemade mayonnaise and a healthy amount of lemon juice brings some real zing.

I use cold-water northern shrimp, a.k.a. pink shrimp, to make this salad. They are the tiny, bright pink shrimp that are fished from the cold Atlantic waters of the northern U.S. and here in Canada. In my humble opinion, the best ones come from Matane, in the Gaspé region of Quebec. Because of their short shelf life, northern shrimp are usually sold pre-cooked and pre-peeled, making them really easy to use. While you can use pretty much any shrimp to make this recipe, I find that northern shrimp are really the best choice for this kind of salad. They are so good covered in mayo and their soft, melting texture is the perfect balance for the crunch of the cucumber. I like to use the small Lebanese cucumbers because they are extra crunchy. If you can't find any, English cucumbers work well too.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients:

400g northern shrimp

4 Lebanese cucumbers or 1 English cucumber

250ml (1/2 cup) homemade mayonnaise

2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

2 tablespoon lemon juice

4 lemon wedges

salt & pepper

1. Place the shrimp in a strainer and gently rinse in cold water. Press down with a paper towel to remove excess water. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and stir in the lemon juice.

2. Add the remaining ingredients. Mix well, season with salt & pepper. 

3. Divide the salad among 4 bowls. Garnish each salad with a sprig of dill and 1 lemon wedge.

 Derek Bocking is a professional chef with over 15 years culinary experience. On his blog Derek's Kitchen, he shares restaurant-style recipes for amateur gourmets to try at home, from quick and easy meals to more elaborate showstoppers.