Grilled Shrimp and Watermelon Salad with Feta

Today was a nice warm Spring day here in the Bay Area, so I thought a watermelon salad would be nice for dinner. I love watermelon and feta, although I did consider using grilled Halloumi cheese instead, but went with feta since it is a lot more economical, but I may try it next time with the Halloumi. Next was some protein to make it a complete meal in my husband’s eyes, started with chicken, but switched to shrimp to make all family members happy as my son currently is not loving chicken. I also think the salad would be good with some cherry tomatoes, but alas, my market only had small tomatoes that were a very under-ripe light red color, so I left them out. But if you have access to good vine-ripened tomatoes, include them.  Enjoy with a glass of cold Rosé from Provence!

• Servings: 4
• Time: approximately 20-30 minutes
• Difficulty: fairly easy
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Light and refreshing Spring/Summer Salad.

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 lb peeled and deveined shrimp
• 2 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon white miso
• 1 teaspoon light honey
• 3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (plus a Tablespoon more for the shrimp)
• 2 Tablespoons raw pinenuts
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• freshly ground black pepper
• About 4 cups cubed watermelon (about 1/2 small seedless watermelon)
• 1 large head of red leaf lettuce, washed and torn into small pieces
• About 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 2 Tablespoons fresh chiffonade mint (cut in fine shreds)

Procedure

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl mix 2 cups of water with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.  Add the raw shrimp and let soak for 15 minutes to 1 hour in the refrigerator.
3. While the shrimp brines, whisk in a small bowl, the vinegar, miso, and honey. Gradually whisk in the oil. Set aside.
4. Roast the pine nuts for 4-5 minutes, or until lightly toasted. Remove from oven and set aside.
5. Remove Shrimp from brine and drain completely. Coat shrimp with a mixture of olive oil, garlic and pepper. Grill or Broil shrimp for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned. Set aside.
6. Place about a cup of torn lettuce on each plate. Add cut watermelon, grilled shrimp, a sprinkle of feta, a sprinkle of pine nuts and pour some dressing over the salad. Garnish with chopped mint. Enjoy!

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June 11, 2018