Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Herb Roasted Shrimp Salad with Blue Cheese and Orange-Thyme Vinaigrette


Sometimes nothing can satisfy the palate like a crispy, flavorful salad. Not the boring, run-of-the-mill lettuce, tomato, carrot, cucumber version, but something extra-special.

My Herb Roasted Shrimp Salad with Blue Cheese and Orange-Thyme Vinaigrette elevates salad to a whole new, mouth-watering level. Sweet, herb-roasted shrimp bursts with flavor, perfectly complementing tangy crumbles of velvety blue cheese. Light, refreshing orange vinaigrette perfectly finishes off this deliciously divine salad.

Herb Roasted Shrimp Salad with Blue Cheese and Orange-Thyme Vinaigrette

Shrimp
10 oz. raw, peeled, deveined shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon chopped thyme leaves
½ teaspoon chopped, flat-leaf parsley
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Orange-Thyme Vinaigrette
1 ½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 ½ tablespoons orange juice
½ tablespoon orange zest (less if you prefer)
½ tablespoon sugar
¼ teaspoon chopped, fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup oil

Salad Ingredients
Romaine lettuce, torn
Red onion slices
Blue cheese crumbles
Cherry tomatoes (halved)
Toasted walnuts
Cooked, crumbled bacon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place shrimp in bowl, and toss with olive oil, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper. Transfer to sheet pan in one single layer. Roast for 6-8 minutes or until shrimp is pink, firm and fully cooked.

Meanwhile, prepare vinaigrette by whisking first 7 ingredients together in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle olive oil in a steady stream while continuing to whisk.

Arrange salad ingredients on individual plates, using amounts you prefer. Top with shrimp, and drizzle with vinaigrette.


This shrimp amount should allow for 2-3 dinner salads. depending on how many shrimp you prefer.