Monday, April 20, 2009

Greek Bread Salad with Grilled Shrimp

I was thinking I already posted this, but I can't find it. It's from a Rachael Ray cookbook. It is down right easy and fresh and good.

20 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (or substitute 1 ½ lbs chicken tenders)
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for liberal drizzling
1 tsp dried oregano
1 Tbs grill seasoning, such as McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning
2 pitas, split open
1 large clove garlic, minced and mashed to a paste with some coarse salt
Zest of 1 lemon and juice of 2 lemons
1 seedless cucumber, halved lengthwise, then sliced into half-moons
4 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
½ cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
¼ cup fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped
3 celery ribs, thinly sliced on an angle
1 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and coarse black pepper
1 ¾-pound brick of Greek feta cheese, drained and sliced into 12 thin wedges (I just use crumbed feta)

Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to high. Toss the shrimp with enough oil to coat, and season with oregano and grill seasoning.
Grill the pita halves for a minute or two to char on the grill. Remove when crisp, break or tear into large pieces and reserve.
Combine the garlic with the zest of 1 lemon and the juice of 1 ½ lemons in the bottom of a large, shallow bowl. Add the cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, parsley, mint, celery, olives and the reserved bread. Add ¼ cup of olive oil and lots of salt and pepper, then toss the salad with your hands to combine well.
Grill the shrimp on the hot grill pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until pink and firm. Transfer to a plate and top with the juice of the remaining ½ lemon. Pile the salad into large, shallow bowls and top with the grilled shrimp and wedges of feta.

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