Langostino Dragon Fruit Salad

langostino1


This quick-prep dish is an easy way to introduce both exotic seafood and Taiwanese fruit to the dinner table. It features the meat of the squat lobster or Langostino, one of the tiniest in the world and known for its rich, sweet flavor.

I also like serving this dish because it gives me the opportunity to serve my family dragon fruit, the tangy, brightly-colored fruit that is a cross between a kiwi and pear. Dragon fruit is so popular in Taiwan that diabetics use it as a food substitute for rice. In this dish, it plays dual roles of distinctive garnish and fresh salad ingredient.

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag Langostino (frozen and cooked), approximately 12 ounces
  • 1 bag bamboo shoots, sliced into fine strips
  • Optional – 3 Tbs spoons capelin roe (masago). Be sure to save a tablespoon of this for garnish
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, cut into pieces of nearly 1 inch each
  • 1 tsp white sugar
  • 1/8 tsp white pepper or seafood seasoning
  • pinch of salt, to taste
  • Dragonfruit or kiwifruit for garnish

Instructions:

  1. Prepare langostino as indicated on the package. Usually you can just defrost and use langostino immediately. Sometimes I also immerse the langostino into boiling water for about 15 seconds, rinse with cold water and wipe the pieces dry with a paper towel.
  2. Mix langostino with all of the other ingredients in a bowl.
  3. Place the mixture on a large big plate and decorate with slices dragon fruit or kiwi and garnish with capelin roe. Makes 8-10 servings.

Where can I get the Langostino and bamboo shoots?

Langostino can be purchased at Trader Joe’s in 12-ounce packages or from Costco. Bamboo shoots can be purchased at any Asian supermarket.  The shoots come with vacuum-packed in the vegetable section or ice-packed in the frozen section.

What is capelin roe?

Capelin roe is one of the ingredients of making sushi. You may recognize it as the tiny orange roe commonly seen in sushi rolls.


Photo courtesy of Quinn Dmbrowski

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