So I originally made this salad at Christmas. It looks like Christmas, doesn’t it? It was actually a bunch of Christmas leftovers, a “what’s in the cupboard” moment – which you know is where some of my best recipes come from. I had leftover Gambas al Ajillo, and bits and bobs from other dishes, and needed a quick meal before getting out of the house to meet friends.
But since then, I’ve found it’s also a great summer dish. You barely have to turn on the stove to cook the shrimp, then just chop the lettuce, slice a few peppers and you’re done. The dressing is made from the olive oil that the shrimp cooked in, with a squeeze of lemon.
It might look like Christmas, but it tastes like the beach, which I will take any time of the year.
If you’re looking for a unique salad that is simple to make and tastes great, this is it!
Related recipes: Gambas al Ajillo, Roasted Vegetable Salad with Charred Lemon Vinaigrette.
Shrimp Salad with Romaine, Cherry Peppers, and Lemon-Garlic Dressing
Serves 4
For the salad:
2 heads Romaine lettuce
6 hot sweet cherry peppers
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
For the shrimp:
Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo)
1 lb shrimp – 21-30 per pound size
1/4 cup thinly sliced garlic
1 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil
Pinch of crushed red pepper
1/4 cup minced parsley
Kosher salt
1 lemon
For the dressing:
1/4 cup garlic-infused olive oil that was used to cook the shrimp
1 lemon
pinch kosher salt
Instructions:
Remove shells from shrimp, leaving tails on.
Toss in a bowl with 1 tsp kosher salt, let stand 10 minutes.
Add the garlic and olive oil to a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over moderately low heat. You are gently and slowly infusing the olive oil with the garlic flavor. Poaching the garlic, really. Stir occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant and has just barely started to brown.
Throw in the pinch of red pepper flakes and give it a stir.
Add the shrimp to the skillet, keeping the heat moderately low. Keep them all in one layer, don’t pile them up.
When they are barely pink on one side, flip them all over and let cook for maybe a minute. When they have all barely turned pink, remove from heat immediately and allow to finish cooking in the warm oil.
The cooking time will vary depending upon the size of the shrimp you buy. But it generally goes pretty fast. Don’t walk away! Just remember you don’t want to overcook shrimp, but you also should NOT be eating grey shrimp…
Top with the parsley.
To make the salad:
In a dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast pepitas for a couple of minutes until warm and fragrant. Transfer to a plate to cool.
Chop romaine lettuce into wide ribbons.
Slice cherry peppers into thin slivers.
Once the oil has cooled a bit, make the dressing. Spoon off 1/4 cup of olive oil from the shrimp into a bowl, making sure to grab a generous amount of the garlic slivers. Squeeze the juice from half the lemon into the bowl and mix thoroughly. Taste and add a pinch of kosher salt and more lemon juice if necessary.
Place chopped lettuce onto serving plates and drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with feta, pepitas, and slivered peppers. Top with shrimp and drizzle with a bit more dressing. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Spoon more of the garlic olive oil from the shrimp into a bowl with crusty bread for dipping.
Shrimp Salad with Romaine, Cherry Peppers, and Roasted Garlic Dressing
Garlic-infused olive oil cooks the shrimp, and serves as the base for the salad dressing in this simple recipe. Just add lemon! Couldn't be any easier!
Ingredients
For the salad
- 2 heads romaine lettuce
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
- 6 cherry peppers
- 1/4 cup feta cheese
For the shrimp:
- 1 pound shrimp 21-30 per pound size
- 1 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup garlic thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup parsley minced
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- kosher salt
For the dressing
- 1/4 cup olive oil that was used to cook the shrimp
- 1 lemon
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
-
In a dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast pumpkin seeds for a couple of minutes until warm and fragrant. Transfer to a plate to cool.
-
Chop romaine lettuce into wide ribbons.
-
Slice cherry peppers into thin slivers
-
Remove shells from shrimp, leaving tails on. Toss in a bowl with 1 tsp kosher salt, let stand 10 minutes.
-
Add the garlic and olive oil to a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet over moderately low heat. You are gently and slowly infusing the olive oil with the garlic flavor. Poaching the garlic, really. Stir occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant and has just barely started to brown.
-
Throw in the pinch of red pepper flakes and give it a stir.
-
Add the shrimp to the skillet, keeping the heat moderately low. Keep them all in one layer, don’t pile them up.
-
When they are barely pink on one side, flip them all over and let cook for maybe a minute. When they have all barely turned pink, remove from heat immediately and allow to finish cooking in the warm oil.
-
Once the oil has cooled a bit, make the dressing. Spoon off 1/4 cup of olive oil from the shrimp into a bowl, making sure to grab a generous amount of the garlic slivers. Squeeze the juice from half the lemon into the bowl and mix thoroughly. Taste and add a pinch of kosher salt and more lemon juice if necessary.
-
Place chopped lettuce onto serving plates and drizzle with dressing. Sprinkle with feta, pumpkin seeds, and slivered peppers. Top with shrimp and drizzle with a bit more dressing. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
-
Spoon more of the garlic olive oil from the shrimp into a bowl with crusty bread for dipping.
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