Simple Supper: Spanish Shrimp Salad

The wind whipped so much sand into our eyes & beer cans that the beach had to be abandoned this weekend. We quickly too refuge at the nearest tourist trap disguised as a beach side cafe & dove into tropical drinks & shrimp salads. The drinks were stronger than expected, but the salad (not unlike all their other food) - weak. Typical boiled shrimp plopped on top of wilted lettuce. No loss, by the second round of piña coladas & blue moons we would have been happy with just about anything.

Here's my alternative to that sad shrimp salad: Crunchy & light, this spanish shrimp salad bulks up on veggies & skips ubiquitous lettuce. Opting out of the usual boiled-to-death shrimp, warm roasted shrimp lends a smokey, hearty bite. Shrimp salad can be flavorful & hearty -- just don't look for it at beach side tourist cafes.

Spanish Shrimp Salad

1 small jamaica, peeled & sliced in 1" strips*

1 small red bell pepper, sliced in 1" strips

1 - 2 small cucumbers, sliced in 1" strips
1 tbsp. pimenton

1 dzn. shrimp, peeled & de-veined

2 tbsp. fresh cilantro, minced

1 small shallot, minced

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tbsp. lime juice

1 tsp. apple cider vinegar

salt to taste

pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400F & line a small roasting pan with tin foil. Toss the shrimp in 1 tbsp. olive oil, pimenton, salt & pepper. Roast for 6 - 8 minutes or until they are bright pink. Let cool for at least 10 minutes.

Toss the sliced veggies* in a bowl with the cooled shrimp. In a small jar, add the remaining olive oil, lime juice, vinegar, shallot, cilantro, salt & pepper & shake vigorously. Pour the dressing over the veggies and shrimp.

*Jamaica can be a bit tough to peel. I recommend slicing the top & bottom 1/2" off & running your knife along the sides working your way down -- similarly to peeling an orange or grapefruit -- until add the skin is removed.