Summer Shrimp n' Spinach Salad

Tonight we created a meal that will go down in food history as the Floridian Citrus Seafood Trio. While we ate this impeccable meal we conversed not only about the flavors of each component, but also about how it should be represented in blog form. The conclusion--to feature each integrant in its own post.
The Summer Shrimp n' Spinach Salad was my contribution to the meal. It was a hot, humid day in Florida (shocking, I know) so I wasn't in the mood to come home from work and "cook". I wanted to create something that would accent the main course with maximum flavor and minimum heat. My answer...salad.
What I created was a side salad, but because I opted for something full of flavor it could easily be converted into a meal. I love a spinach salad with fruit and a sweet vinaigrette. The affinity for that type of salad is the heart of this recipe.

SERVES 2:

Ingredients:

• 2-3 ounces baby spinach
• 10 gulf shrimp, steamed and peeled
• .25 cucumber, sliced very thin
• handful almonds, slivered
• 11 ounces mandarin oranges, drained
• .5 cup bleu cheese, crumbled
• dash salt
• dash ground black pepper
• .5 cup raspberry walnut vinaigrette

Cookware/Utensils:

• can opener
• measuring cups
• cutting board
• santoku or chef's knife

Once the prep work of peeling the shrimp, slicing the cucumber and draining the oranges is complete then the salad is ready for assembly. I prepare individual bowls of salad. I find it easier and less dishes to clean if I do it this way as opposed to fixing a salad in a salad bowl and then transferring the salad to individual bowls. This means that you will need to take each ingredient and divide it in half between each bowl. First, place spinach in each bowl. Next add cucumbers, cheese, shrimp, oranges, salt, pepper and almonds. Finally, top each bowl with vinaigrette. This is the order in which I layer my salad. I suggest assembling the salad moments before consumption. This will prevent the spinach from becoming soggy as a result of the wet ingredients--oranges and vinaigrette. Voila!

***The other components of the Floridian Citrus Seafood Trio include Pan Broiled Amberjack with an Orange Apricot Butter Sauce and Buffalo Bill's Orange Blossom Cream Ale (blog posts listed separately). The salad, fish and beer all centered around the idea of the orange. The salad and fish shared almond as a common ingredient. This trio is Floridan for its use of the orange, as the official state flower is the orange blossom and the official state beverage is orange juice. The seafood used are also both Floridian in nature. Amberjack is found in great numbers swimming in the water surrounding Florida enjoying the reefs, rock outcrops and wrecks. Gulf shrimp is caught off the coasts of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Since we live on the Gulf Coast and know that our shrimp came from the local fishermen who docked their boats in our community this morning, we know that our shrimp shared our home state.

Turkey-Parm Baked Asparagus

Asparagus is one of those vegetables that children are conditioned to detest along with spinach, lima beans, radishes and beets (just to name a few). However, I am convinced that a palate of any age can--and should enjoy the taste of asparagus.

The origin of asparagus cannot be definitively tracked to any one specific area, but it is known to be native to the eastern Mediterranean and Asia Minor areas. It was enjoyed by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans. In fact, "As quick as cooking asparagus" was an old Roman saying meaning something accomplished rapidly.

SERVES 2

Ingredients:

• 15-20 asparagus spears (small bundle)
• extra virgin olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• thin-sliced deli smoked turkey
• parmigiano reggiano or grated parmesan cheese
• coarse ground sea salt
• fresh cracked pepper

Cookware/Utensils:

• paper towel or napkin
• casserole dish

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Wash asparagus spears with warm water and pat dry with a paper towel. Snap off the ends of the asparagus at the bottom of each spear where it breaks off naturally. Wrap every other spear with a piece of the sliced deli turkey. Place in a single or double layer in a casserole dish. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Season with salt, pepper and cheese. Place in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes (until the cheese and the tips of the asparagus begin to darken in color.

The great thing about this side dish is that there are no set measurement guidelines on the garnishes (olive oil, balsamic, turkey, salt, pepper, and cheese). All of these ingredients should be added in an amount that works with your taste preference. Want even more fantastic news?: Asparagus is a nutrient-dense food which in high in folic acid and is a good source of potassium, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamins A and C. Asparagus has no fat, contains no cholesterol and is low in sodium!