Tango Mango

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Salad, tango-mango style

Ever since I whipped up a batch of that yummy lemon vinaigrette last week I’ve been looking for more ways to use it. It occurred to me a day or two ago that it would probably be an amazing marinade for shrimp. The more I thought about it the more I was convinced I was on to something. An hour later I was staring at a plate of crispy, sweet shrimp with a slightly salty, citrusy flavor. I sliced an avocado and a rather meager looking tomato. The cucumber was sitting in the frig without an agenda, so I quickly pulled together this salad. I admit what is pictured was all for me, but I loved it so much I made the whole thing all over again for my family that same night. This recipe serves 2 as a light meal. It can easily be doubled or tripled, but you would need to make more vinaigrette.

Salad with warm, grilled shrimp, avocado, tomato and cucumber with lemon vinaigrette.

  • 10-12 raw shrimp (21-25 size)
  • Lemon vinaigrette
  • Leaf lettuce, rinsed and patted dry
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 small tomato (or more if they’re at their peak)
  • 1/2 English cucumber, peeled or striped

Directions:

Place the shrimp in a zip-lock plastic bag and pour in half of the dressing. Marinate the shrimp for 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Remove shrimp from bag and thread them on 2-3 skewers, discarding marinade. Set skewers on grill using medium heat. Cook about 4 minutes. Turn and continue cooking until just done, about 3 or 4 more minutes. (If you’re unsure if they’re done, carefully remove a shrimp and cut through it to see if it is opaque in the middle.)

Pit, peel and slice avocado. Slice tomato and cucumber. Place torn lettuce leaves on large plates or platter. Set skewer of shrimp on lettuce and surround with avocado, tomatoes and cucumber slices. Pour remaining dressing over salad(s). Sprinkle with fresh-ground pepper.

Over the past 5 years or so I have made this recipe for Marinated grilled shrimp countless times. I’ve taken pictures, but it’s really hard to capture with a camera how scrumptious they are. Tonight I was hell-bent to make it work. Daylight was waning and people were hungry. I pulled most of the shrimp off their skewers onto a platter, but took some into our garage to photograph. (Our garage is my “studio” by the way.) I present to you one of my all-time favorite foods, and perhaps the best picture I can capture of it.  What you see was our dinner tonight. Marinated grilled shrimp 1 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons dried parsley, or 1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley 1 lemon- zest and juice 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 tablespoons tomato paste 2 teaspoons dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails attached Lemon wedges for garnish Directions: In a mixing bowl, combine olive oil, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, hot sauce, garlic, tomato paste, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Put shrimp in a large resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over shrimp. Get as much air out of the bag as possible and close bag. Place the plastic bag of shrimp in a bowl and refrigerate for two hours. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in cold water for 30 minutes prior to use. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade. Clean and lightly oil grill grate. Preheat grill to high (approximately) 500 degrees. Place shrimp on grill grate and immediately turn heat down to medium. Close grill lid. Cook shrimp 5 minutes per side, or until opaque. Note: Shrimp size is determined by approximately how many of a particular size shrimp make up one pound. I usually use the 21-25 size shrimp.

Over the past 5 years or so I have made this recipe for Marinated grilled shrimp countless times. I’ve taken pictures, but it’s really hard to capture with a camera how scrumptious they are. Tonight I was hell-bent to make it work. Daylight was waning and people were hungry. I pulled most of the shrimp off their skewers onto a platter, but took some into our garage to photograph. (Our garage is my “studio” by the way.)

I present to you one of my all-time favorite foods, and perhaps the best picture I can capture of it.  What you see was our dinner tonight.

Marinated grilled shrimp

  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons dried parsley, or 1/4 cup chopped, fresh parsley
  • 1 lemon- zest and juice
  • 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, with tails attached
  • Lemon wedges for garnish

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine olive oil, parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, hot sauce, garlic, tomato paste, dried oregano, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine.

Put shrimp in a large resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over shrimp. Get as much air out of the bag as possible and close bag. Place the plastic bag of shrimp in a bowl and refrigerate for two hours.

If using bamboo skewers, soak them in cold water for 30 minutes prior to use. Thread shrimp onto skewers, piercing once near the tail and once near the head. Discard marinade.

Clean and lightly oil grill grate. Preheat grill to high (approximately) 500 degrees. Place shrimp on grill grate and immediately turn heat down to medium. Close grill lid. Cook shrimp 5 minutes per side, or until opaque.

Note: Shrimp size is determined by approximately how many of a particular size shrimp make up one pound. I usually use the 21-25 size shrimp.