Here's a seafood salad that has a more continental flair, with capers, fresh basil and Dijon mustard in the dressing, and zucchini in the salad itself. We use large shrimp for this preparation. If using for a salad, leave shrimp whole. Or, if you plan to use some for a salad and some for sandwiches, cut the shrimp into two or three pieces each.

If this is to be a main-course salad, offer fresh baguette slices on the side. If desired, toast them, add some brie and heat the toasts at 375 degrees for about 4 minutes, until brie is melty. Serve a dry white wine, e.g. pinot grigio.

Dressing

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup drained capers

2 small shallots, minced

2 tablespoons country-style (grainy) Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

3/4 cup olive oil

3/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Salad

2 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined

3 small zucchini, cut into half-inch cubes (about 3 cups)

About 10 ounces mixed baby greens

Shredded parmesan cheese, optional

For the dressing, in a medium bowl, whisk together lemon juice, capers, shallots, mustard, red pepper flakes and pepper. Whisk in oil, then basil. Taste for balance. Add salt, if you must. Set dressing aside.

For the shrimp and zucchini, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add shrimp and cook 1 minute. Add zucchini and continue cooking until shrimp are opaque in the center and zucchini are crisp-tender, about 1 minute more. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water to cool. Drain well.

To serve, transfer shrimp-zucchini mixture to a large bowl. Add about 2/3 of a cup of the dressing and toss gently. Taste for seasonings.

In another large bowl, toss greens with enough of the remaining dressing to coat. Divide among 6 to 8 plates. Arrange shrimp and zucchini mixture atop the greens. Garnish plates with brie toasts, if desired. Pass the parmesan on the side. Makes 6 or more servings.

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