Lemon-Splashed Shrimp Salad

Ingredients

• 8 cups water
• 2/3 cup uncooked rotini (corkscrew pasta)
• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
• 3/4 cup sliced celery
• 1/2 cup chopped avocado
• 1/2 cup chopped seeded poblano pepper
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons extravirgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preparation

1. Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add pasta to pan; cook 5 minutes or until almost tender. Add shrimp to pan; cook 3 minutes or until done. Drain. Rinse with cold water; drain well. Combine pasta mixture, tomatoes, celery, avocado, poblano, cilantro, rind, juice, olive oil, and salt in a bowl; toss well.
2. Wine note: The dominant green flavors here (avocado, celery), along with a nice hint of heat (poblanos) and citrus (lemon), all point to a perfect wine partner: sauvignon blanc. Sassy and herbal, sauvignon blanc itself is splashed with lemon flavors, making it a great mirror for the flavors of this salad. Try Girard Sauvignon Blanc 2005 from the Napa Valley ($15). -Karen MacNeil