Summer Grilled Shrimp Salad

The Method

Step 1

In a medium sauce pot, fill ½ to ⅔ full with water, place on the stove and bring to a boil. Put a colander in the sink because the blanching process is very quick. Also prepare 2 or 3 cups of ice cubes and cold water to put the hot leaves into.

Step 2

Prepare the basil, spinach and parsley by washing them if necessary, and removing their stems.

Step 3
Once the water is boiling, carefully drop in basil, spinach and parsley. Give them a stir, and in 30 seconds remove them from heat and drain off the boiling water. Immediately, put the blanched leaves into the ice water. Stir the leaves slightly. Allow the leaves to cool for 3 minutes.


Step 4
With your hands, remove the leaves from the ice bath. Squeeze the leaves tightly to remove as much water as possible. Place them in the bottom of a smoothie blender container, or set aside if using a regular blender.


Step 5
Add the garlic to the leaves. If you are using the smoothie blender, then add the olive oil and Acme Superior Salt. If you are using a blender, put the oil and salt in first, then add the leaves and the garlic.

Step 6
Blend until emulsified.

Step 7
Liberally pour the basil marinade over the skewered shrimp. Cover the shrimp and allow to marinate for 2 to 24 hours.

Charred Corn:
Decide if you are using a BBQ and corn on the cob or a pan and the stove or oven.

For The BBQ

Step 1
Peel the corn husk and silk down the corn cob, you can cut that off or leave it on.

Step 2
Place the cobs on the hot grill with the husks hanging outside the grill if you left them on. Cook for about 7 to 9 minutes turning the cobs a few times while grilling. Allow corn to get some blackened bits all around the cob. Remove from the grill and allow to cool.

Step 3
Very carefully, cut the bottom of the cob so it is flat. Set the cob on the flat end and then cut the kernels off the cob. Repeat on each cob. Set the corn kernels to the side.

For The Pan

Step 1
Defrost frozen corn on some paper towels. When they are defrosted, heat a cast iron skillet on high.

Step 2
Put 1 teaspoon of olive oil into the hot pan and swirl around to spread out the oil. Add the defrosted, pretty dry corn kernels into the hot skillet. Allow the corn to get some char/blackened bits on most of the kernels.

Step 3
Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Charred Tomato vinaigrette:

Step 1
Tomatos: Cut the tomato in half width-wise. Over a paper towel, gently squeeze the tomato half to expel the seeds and the liquid around them.

Peppers: cut a pepper in half. Remove seeds. Lay down the half of the pepper so that the inside is up. Using a knife, lay the knife parallel to the cutting surface and at the base of one of the inside ridges. Slide the knife along the meat of the pepper and under the ridge, the length of the ridge. This will give you a fairly flat pepper piece that is easy to cut in uniform pieces.

Step 2
Heat a skillet (we prefer a cast iron skillet for this) on high. When the skillet is hot add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the pan and swirl the oil to coat the pan.

Step 3
Add the tomatoes and the peppers to the very hot skillet each half flesh side down. Allow them to char, or blacken in parts but not the whole. (The peppers and tomatoes will first cook out their liquid, allow that to evaporate, and then they will begin to char.)

Step 4
Add the shallots and the garlic. Stir the mixture constantly for 1 minute to heat up the shallots and garlic. Be careful not to burn the garlic.

Step 5
Then add the balsamic vinegar. Allow this to simmer and reduce the vinegar to a syrup.

Step 6
Remove from the pan and allow to cool.

Step 7
When the tomato mixture is room temperature, add it to a blender. Add the lemon juice and the red wine vinegar. Blend on low until pureed.

Step 8
Slowly add the oil until the mixture is emulsified. Taste for salt, add more Acme Superior Salt if needed.

Cook Shrimp:

Step 1
Grill the shrimp until they are just done. About 3 to 4 minutes on each side. They will continue to cook once removed from the heat. There will be slight pink tones to the edges of the shrimp and they will be firmer than before cooking. Once cooked, allow the shrimp to cool as you prepare the salad.

Prepare Salad:

Step 1
Place the Spring lettuce in a bowl. Add ⅓ of the charred corn and ¼ of the halved grape or cherry tomatoes.

Step 2
Add a small amount of dressing to the lettuce and mix well, you can add more to your liking.

Step 3
Place the dressed salad into your serving bowl or onto the serving plate(s).

Step 4
Add more of the remaining toppings, the croutons (You might not need all of the croutons, use as much as you like.) and the shrimp decoratively. Enjoy!