Shrimp with Endive, Blue Cheese and Fresh-Cut Tomatoes ? ?
We have enjoyed this salad served both as a pre-dinner salad or an entree on a balmy California summer night. The tart flavor of the endive is perfectly balanced by the rich, deep tones of blue cheese in this salad delight.
Serves 4
Ingredients
Salad
- ½ lbs. Bay shrimp (Go with ¾ lbs+ if making for entrée rather than starter salad)
- 2 Hass avocados, pitted
- ¾ cup thinly sliced red onion
- 15 – 20 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 4 hardboiled eggs, sliced into fourths
- Blue cheese, crumbled to taste
- 3 – 5 hearts of palm, halved and sliced into ½ inch half moons
- Endive, sliced into 1 inch pieces (I like to use both purple and green, a few of each)
- Fresh arugula leaves
- 1 cup cilantro leaves, discard stems
Dressing
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
- 2 ½ tablespoons white wine or champagne vinegar
- Juice from 1 fresh lemon (approx. 2 tablespoons)
- 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 ½ tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves, discard stems
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Preparations
- Place shallots, vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and basil in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Whisk in olive oil. Set aside to let ingredients mingle.
- Cut avocados into 1-inch-thick wedges and set aside.
- In a bowl, combine shrimp, red onion, tomato, and hearts of palm. In a second bowl, combine arugula and endive.
- Split dressing between both bowls evenly and toss.
- Plate arugula and endive, topped with shrimp, red onion, tomato and hearts of palm. Garnish with avocado and hard-boiled eggs. Top with blue cheese and cilantro.
- Adjust seasoning to taste and serve immediately.