Shrimp Salad Portofino
This is my tribute to the home of focaccia and this dreamy seaside village. Crunchy panzanella, or bread salad, is heightened with large tender shrimp, briny olives, and just a handful or two of aromatic herbs and tender lettuce leaves. Resist the inclination to toss in a lot of salad greens.
- 2 small Kirby or other pickling cucumbers
- Kosher salt
- 16 extra-large shrimp (16 to 20 count) in the shell, preferably wild American shrimp
- Four 2-by-3-inch rectangles grilled or toasted focaccia, torn into bite-size chunks
- 12 red cherry tomatoes, halved
- 6 yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
- 8 caper berries, rinsed and halved
- 8 Niçoise or Kalamata olives, pitted
- About 1/4 cup red wine vinaigrette, divided
- 1 small bunch flat-leaf parsley, leaves only
- 1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives
- 1 small bunch frisée, torn into bite-size pieces
- 1 small handful of celery leaves
- 2 scant tablespoons lightly toasted pine nuts
2. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the (unpeeled) shrimp, and boil until they curl and are just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Peel and devein shrimp; set aside.
3. Toss together cucumbers (drained of any liquid), focaccia, cherry tomatoes, capers, caper berries, and olives. Then add 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, and toss to combine. Let stand for 5 minutes.
4. Toss the parsley, chives, frisée, and celery leaves in a bowl with a little vinaigrette, and mound on four serving plates. Top with the panzanella mixture, and then artfully arrange 4 shrimp on each plate, tucking them into the mound haphazardly. Finish each plate with a scattering of the pine nuts. Yield: 6 appetizer servings
(recipe from Frank Stitt’s Bottega Favorita: A Southern Chef’s Love Affair With Italian Food, Artisan, 2008)
NextSummer Vegetable Frittata
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