Recipes: Romaine Salad with Grapefruit & Shrimp

January 9, 2019

Robb Walsh
“The burst-in-your-mouth juicy sweetness of red grapefruit is a great partner for the slightly briny and chewy bite of cooked shrimp. In this healthy salad recipe, we use romaine lettuce and red cabbage, but a handful of peppery arugula or watercress would be a nice addition.”

Ingredients

    • 2 large red grapefruit (about 1 pound each)
    • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus 1 tablespoon, divided
    • 1 tablespoon white-wine vinegar
    • 1 clove garlic, minced
    • 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper, plus more to taste
    • 1-1¼ pounds peeled and deveined raw shrimp (16-20 count), tails left on if desired
    • 8 cups coarsely chopped romaine lettuce
    • 1 cup very thinly sliced red cabbage
    • ½ cup slivered sweet onion
    • 8 sprigs fresh cilantro

Directions

  • Working over a medium nonreactive bowl, suprême grapefruit (see Tips). Squeeze the membranes to extract any extra juice. Measure 3 tablespoons juice into a large nonreactive bowl; save the remaining juice for another use.
  • Whisk ¼ cup oil into the large bowl along with vinegar, garlic, hot sauce, salt, and pepper.
  • Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, until pink and just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl and toss with 1 tablespoon of the dressing.
  • To serve, toss lettuce, cabbage, and onion with the remaining dressing in the large bowl. Divide among 4 plates. Top with the shrimp and the grapefruit segments. Season with pepper, if desired, and garnish with cilantro.
  • Tips: Be sure to use a nonreactive bowl—stainless-steel, enamel-coated or glass—when working with acidic food like grapefruit. Reactive vessels, such as aluminum and cast-iron, can impart off colors and/or flavors.
  • To suprême: Use this technique to get pretty, pith-free citrus sections every time. Cut a thin slice off the top and bottom of the fruit with a large sharp knife. Place on a cutting board. Remove the peel and white pith below, following the curve of the fruit as you go. Working over a bowl, switch to a small sharp knife and cut each segment from the surrounding membranes. Squeeze any extra juice from the membranes, if desired.
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