Shrimp Salad With Sesame-Ginger Dressing

Give in to the convenience of already poached shrimp in this bright main-dish salad, perfect for lunch or a light dinner. The core is easy and uncomplicated: Fresh ginger and chiles are married with sesame seeds and oil in a tangy vinaigrette for tender shrimp, crisp cucumbers and a bed of peppery arugula. It’s decidedly unfussy and very easily adaptable — add scoops of avocado or soft-boiled eggs for extra richness or simply serve with buttered toast and make open-faced sandwiches. Individual chiles have their own heat ranges, just like our taste buds. Use the amount in the recipe as a guide, but trust your instincts to adjust.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped ginger (from about 3-inch piece)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot (from about 1 small shallot)
• 1 to 2 serrano or other similarly spicy chile (green or red), halved, seeded and finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice or white wine vinegar
• 1.25 pounds cooked cleaned shrimp (thawed if necessary), patted dry
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• 2 cups thinly sliced cucumber (from 2 to 3 Persian cucumbers)
• Salt and pepper
• 4 large handfuls arugula (4 to 5 ounces)
• Flaky sea salt, for serving

Steps

1. To a large bowl, add the sesame seeds, ginger, shallot, chile(s) and lemon juice and mix together with a fork; let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Add the shrimp to the bowl along with the olive oil, sesame oil and cucumber and season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat the shrimp and cucumber.
3. Serve the salad by placing a bed of arugula on each of 4 plates, then top with the dressed shrimp and cucumbers along with the extra pool of vinaigrette left in the bowl. Drizzle more olive oil over the salad and sprinkle with flake sea salt.