I saw a Bon Appetit recipe for a gazpacho salad a few years ago, and it stuck with me. I adapted it (of course!) to make it my own, but I have to give credit where credit is due. This version is perfect for right now, since heirloom tomatoes are perfect this time of year. So hop on down to your local farmers market, and pick up some great tomatoes and enjoy this on a hot summer day. There is some grilling involved, so enjoying the backyard while cooking and eating would be just right. And don’t forget a nice glass of a dry, crisp wine to go with it. Right now, we’re really enjoying Bonny Doon’s french-style rose.
Ingredients:
1 medium sweet onion (Vidalia, Walla Walla, etc.), cut in 3/4″ slices
1 red bell pepper, de-stemmed, seeded and cut in half lengthwise
1 yellow bell pepper, de-stemmed, seeded and cut in half lengthwise
6 green onions, root ends trimmed off
2 slices of sourdough bread, 1″ thick
1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
olive oil (about 1/4 cup)
sea salt (about 2 Tbsp)
2 heirloom tomatoes, cut in 3/4″ squares
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1 cup cucumber, cut in 3/4″ squares
1 avocado, cut into 3/4″ pieces
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tsp hot sauce (Tabasco is a good choice for this recipe)
lime wedges for serving
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat. Brush the onions, bell peppers, green onions, bread and shrimp with olive oil. Sprinkle salt over all but the bread, turn all pieces over and do the same on the other side. Skewer the shrimp with bamboo skewers soaked in water or metal skewers. When grill is ready, place the onion slices and bell peppers on first – they will cook a total of about 15 minutes. About 7-8 minutes after putting those on the grill, turn them over. In another couple of minutes, put the shrimp and the green onions on – they will cook a total of about 4 minutes. Flip the shrimp and green onions halfway through (2 minutes into cooking). When all the veggies and shrimp are done, remove to a tray or platter. Place the bread slices on the grill and cook long enough for the slices to get grill marks and start to brown slightly.
To assemble the salad, cut the grilled veggies and bread slices into 3/4″ pieces. Combine the shrimp, grilled veggies, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, basil, cucumber and avocado in a large bowl. In a small dish, combine the vinegar and hot sauce. Whisk to combine, and drizzle over the salad.Toss to combine, taste for seasoning, and serve! It’s a beautiful salad and tastes much like the soup. Tell me what you think!
Bon appetit!
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