In the time it takes you to read this, you can actually make this meal. Really. This grilled shrimp salad is so good and so simple you won’t believe it.
I forgot how much I like shrimp on the BBQ. For most of the winter I’ve done the Ina Garten technique of roasting them in the oven and they’re delicious that way, but when the weather’s nice, there’s nothing better than grilling.
And finally I can share some produce from the garden.
Here are the radishes from my garden. Home grown are so much more flavorful than the ones you buy at the market. They’re tangy but not at all bitter.
And they are so easy to grow. Take a look at these. I just scattered the seeds and look what happened. I need to thin them out a little or they will end up long and skinny.
This is a great vegetable to grow if you’re just getting started with a garden. They’re practically foolproof.
Here’s my butter lettuce–also easy to grow. It’s better in the cooler months, so for those of you in the Southern Hemisphere–get ready. You can start planing your lettuce soon.
Now for the BBQ’d shrimp salad.
INGREDIENTS
FOR THE SHRIMP
- shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
- Emeril Original Seasoning, or any seasoning you like
- lemon zest
- salt and pepper
- olive oil
FOR THE SALAD
- butter lettuce
- radishes
- cucumber
- cherry tomatoes
- cilantro
- feta cheese
- lemon juice, fresh
- olive oil
I know….you’re wondering where the measurements are. Well, you know me…I’m not always good at remembering to measure.
Plan on about 8-10 shrimp per person. If you’re using frozen shrimp make sure they are thoroughly defrosted. I just put them in a Ziploc bag, immerse them in a big bowl of cold water and they’re ready in about an hour.
The secret to good shrimp is to make sure you pat them dry with paper towels before you marinate them. This is especially true if they were frozen.
Once they’re patted dry, put them in a new Ziploc and add the garlic, Emeril, lemon zest, salt, pepper and olive oil. Just enough seasoning to lightly dust them and just enough olive oil to slightly coat them. Don’t over do it.
I always like to cut everything in advance so I’m ready to go when the shrimp is cooked.
The next trick is to NOT overcook the shrimp. Preheat your grill to high. Mine gets to about 500. I just dump them on the hot grill and use my tongs to spread them around. I cook them for two minutes per side.
While the shrimp are grilling I arrange the “salad” on a nice platter. If everything is cut in advance this will take less time than it takes to cook the shrimp.
Bring in the shrimp and squeeze a little fresh lemon on them.
Arrange on top of the salad and garnish with the cilantro and feta cheese. I squeeze the lemon right on top and drizzle with olive oil. I don’t even measure. Again, just enough to coat, not drown, the salad.
See, wasn’t that simple. Serve with warm crusty Italian bread. If you really want to be festive open a chilled bottle of Prosecco and celebrate the end of the day or the beginning of the weekend.
As always, enjoy!
And now for the fun part–a big Laguna Beach welcome to my newest readers in Iceland and Israel. I love that fact that two “I” countries are now enjoying my blog. And remember, you can always read it first at www.stunewslaguna.com and at the same time keep up with all the current events in Laguna Beach.
Categories: Fish, Main Dishes, Soups & Salads
Tags: BBQ shrimp, growing lettuce, growing radishes, lemon dressing
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I likes shrimp!!!!!!Once again, a yummy treat provided by our neighborhood chef.Have a good weekend!
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Hi there, this is a really nice post about fish/seafood. It would be great if you linked to it in my Food on Friday series. This week it is about all things fishy and seafoody. Food on Friday