Happy summer! Right about now we are all about staying cool and using our oven and stove as little as possible. Our Shrimp Mandarin Orange Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts is the perfect summer salad for those hot summer days.  Sometimes we just toss things on a plate together and the result is something really special that’s worth repeating. This is just one of those dishes. It’s great for lunch or dinner and can be served as a meal or as a side salad.

We like to poach our own shrimp because we love the flavor of Trader Joe’s Argentinian Red Shrimp* (they are slightly sweet and taste almost like lobster), but you can certainly use cooked shrimp from your market. Jenn also likes to throw a little avocado into her salad, which adds even more flavor and texture.

We hope you are all staying cool and enjoying your summer!

* Trader Joe’s Argentinian Red Shrimp can be found in their freezer section.

The ingredients are easy to find and come together in no time!

We make our own champagne vinaigrette, but you can certainly use your favorite bottled dressing.

Shrimp Mandarin Orange Salad with Feta and Pine Nuts

Salad:

• ½ pound large shrimp (20/25 count)
• 1 head butter lettuce
• 1-11 oz can mandarin oranges
• ¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
• 2 TBS dry roasted pine nuts

Champagne Vinaigrette:

• 3 TBS champagne vinegar
• ½ tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 TBS fresh lemon juice (from about ½ medium lemon)
• 1 TBS finely minced shallot (about ½ small shallot)
• 1 tsp honey
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 1/8 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• ¼ cup good quality olive oil

Combine all ingredients except olive oil in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in olive oil, whisking continuously until well combined.

To Assemble Salad:

In a small heavy saucepan, poach the shrimp in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.

Drain the mandarin oranges (do not rinse them).

Rinse lettuce leaves and tear into bite sized pieces.

Place half the lettuce leaves on each or two plates. Top each with the half the cooked shrimp and your desired number of mandarin orange segments. Top with half the crumbled feta and sprinkle with half of the pine nuts. Drizzle with the desired amount of champagne vinaigrette.

Serves 2 as a meal or 4 as a side salad.