Shrimp Panzanella
This fresh-tasting panzanella (Italian bread-and-tomato salad) is made with shrimp, olives and plenty of herbs. You’ll need olives packed in flavorful brine to make the dressing. For convenience, buy shrimp already peeled and cooked. Sometimes the best-tasting precooked shrimp is sold frozen. Soak in cold water for 10 minutes to defrost. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.
From EatingWell: May/June 2010
Yield: 6 servings, about 1 3/4 cups each
Active Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and halved
- 4 cups 1/2-inch crusty multigrain bread cubes, preferably day-old
- 1 pound coarsely chopped peeled cooked shrimp (see Note)
- 4 large ripe but firm tomatoes, coarsely chopped
- 2 large green, red and/or yellow bell peppers, diced
- 3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
- 1/4 cup sliced pitted Kalamata olives, plus 1/4 cup olive brine
- 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 4 cups mixed salad greens
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Drizzle 2 tablespoons oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Mash garlic into the oil with a fork to infuse it with flavor; discard the garlic. Stir bread cubes into the oil until lightly coated. Bake, stirring every 5 minutes, until very crisp, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Combine shrimp, tomatoes, bell peppers, parsley, chives, olives and olive brine, vinegar, thyme and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large bowl. Season with pepper. Let stand for at least 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Toss the croutons with the shrimp mixture and serve the salad over greens.
- Make Ahead Tip: Store croutons (Step 2) airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week. Cover and refrigerate the shrimp mixture (Step 3) for up to 1 day.
- Ingredient Note: Both wild-caught and farm-raised shrimp can damage the surrounding ecosystems when not managed properly. Look for shrimp certified by an independent agency, such as Wild American Shrimp or Marine Stewardship Council. If you can’t find certified shrimp, choose wild-caught shrimp from North America—it’s more likely to be sustainably caught.
Nutrition Per serving:
291 calories; 14 g fat (2 g sat, 9 g mono); 115 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrates; 1 g added sugars; 21 g protein; 5 g fiber; 498 mg sodium; 750 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (130% daily value), Vitamin A (62% dv), Folate (25% dv), Iron (22% dv), Potassium (21% dv), Magnesium (20% dv)
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 2 lean meat, 2 fat