Warm Shrimp Salad

A salad that I ate two years ago is still an object of intense fixation for me. I attempted to recreate it and I think you'll enjoy it if you do the same!

This warm shrimp salad is a perfect meal for spring and summer evenings - when it's not too hot, since it does require you turn your oven on to roast some tomatoes.

It’s my attempt at recreating the Warm Shrimp Salad served at Stephen Starr restaurants Le Diplomate in D.C. and Parc in Philadelphia. Despite being a Philadelphia native and Parc frequenter, I first had this dish at Le Diplomate on a solo excursion to D.C. one bored summer day in 2022.

The original salad that I am still thinking about all this time later.

Ingredients for 1 salad:

Spring mix

2 plum tomatoes

1 fennel bulb

1/2 an avocado

6-8 shrimp (fresh or frozen, whatever you prefer!)

The original salad comes dressed with a lemon beurre blanc. I opted instead for a simple lemon vinaigrette using the juice of a Meyer lemon, olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and salt. Any kind of fresh, lemony dressing would work really well here!

1. Dressing:

   1. I always start by making my dressing. Lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and a little bit of honey or balsamic vinegar would be perfect. Personally, I love using my blender to emulsify any oil-based dressings.

2. Chopping:

   1. Fennel - Slice your fennel bulb thinly. Not the whole thing - you really only need a little bit, as you don’t want it to overpower your salad.

   2. Avocado - I would use about half and slice it thinly to be spread across your salad.

   3. Tomatoes - Take your 2 plum tomatoes and slice them into halves or quarters.

3. Cooking:

   1. Tomatoes - Heat your oven to 350 degrees. Lay your tomatoes on a baking sheet. Cover with olive oil and salt. Roast for 30 minutes to an hour, until they start to crisp up.

   2. Shrimp - If using frozen shrimp, thaw before cooking. Heat a pot of water and salt heavily. When water reaches a rapid boil, toss your shrimp in. The shrimp are fully cooked when they are pink and no longer translucent. Remove from water, remove tails if you’d like, and set aside.

4. Assembling:

   1. Use a plate or a large, flat bowl.

   2. Create a base of spring mix and fennel tossed together.

   3. Add your roasted tomatoes and avocado. Top with your dressing.

   4. Add in your shrimp and top with Parmesan or Pecorino Romano - Stephen Starr uses shavings, but I prefer grated cheese.

5. Enjoying:

   1. This salad pairs well with warm bread, an Aperol Spritz, and a patio. At least that’s my advice.

   2. Speaking of which, I’ve been thinking a lot about advice lately; I even wrote a little something about it. Check it out!

My finished product!