March 2006: Fire Roasted Tomato Salad with Grilled Shrimp

Dressing:

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chili

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 shallot, minced

½ cup chopped cilantro

½ cup olive oil

Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste

8 cups spring mix salad greens

1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined

4 large tomatoes ( about 2 ¼ pounds), halved horizontally

4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Place shrimp in a medium bowl. Drizzle ½ cup of the dressing over shrimp and toss well to coat. Marinate 15 minutes. Thread shrimp onto skewers and grill 2-3 minutes per side. Brush 2 tablespoons oil over cut sides of tomatoes. Grill tomatoes, cut side down, just until grill marks show but tomatoes are still slightly firm, about 2 minutes. Turn tomatoes over; grill 2 minutes longer. Remove from grill and allow to cool. Cut cooled tomatoes into 1-inch-thick slices, then into fourths. In a large salad bowl, combine salad greens, grilled shrimp, croutons, and tomatoes. Add enough dressing to generously coat and toss well. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.Transfer salad to plates and top with a sprinkles of goat cheese.

4 servings

Focaccia croutons:

2 cups focaccia bread, cut into 1-inch cubes

½ cup unsalted butter, melted

2 teaspoons chipotle peppers, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine melted butter with chipotle chile peppers and salt. Place focaccia bread cubes in a large bowl, pour melted butter mixture over and toss to coat well. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes, stirring croutons halfway through baking.