Not So Fast but Definitely Fabulous: Grilled Shrimp & Avocado Panzanella!

The other day my husband approached me with a mischievous grin and a gleam in his eye. Yes, you guessed it, he had just found a recipe he was very excited to try!

This particular recipe featured mouth-watering, Summer-inspired ingredients including creamy avocados, fresh shrimp and ripe tomatoes. The fact that it involved the grill made it a shoe-in!

Panzanella is a Tuscan salad which traditionally includes tomatoes and chunks of soaked stale bread that's very popular during the Summer months. The tomatoes and bread are usually accompanied by onions, basil and a vinaigrette of olive oil and vinegar. I have to say the flavors of this dish were absolutely phenomenal but I tweaked the ratio of ingredients slightly to maximize the fabulous flavor and balance out the "carb factor."

This dish also lends itself well to cooking "a deux" which also cuts the prep time in half. Steve and I had alot of fun prepping our respective "components" although somewhere along the way I got roped into chopping all the garlic...hmmm. Anyway, a couple helpful hints for preparing this dish, be sure to make the tomato, avocado and onion salad last and shortly before serving or your avocado will turn brown. You also want to combine all of the ingredients shortly before serving - panzanella salads are prone to getting soggy. I do have to say though, this dish was surprisingly delicious the day after!

As for wine, a crisp, chilled Italian white would work nicely with this panzanella salad. If you're feeling a little adventurous, opt for a Vernaccia di San Gimignano from Tuscany or an unoaked Ribolla di Gialla from Italy's Friuli-Venezia Giulia region instead of a standard issue Pinot Grigio.

I hope you enjoy this salad as much as we did. It will definitely be on the rotation at our house for the rest of the Summer and beyond. Also, keep this dish in mind for entertaining - your guests will love it!

Cheers,

Grilled Shrimp & Avocado Panzanella

Vinaigrette:

2/3 cup good olive oil

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 gloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper to taste 

Bread:

1/2 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon kosher salt

12 ounce loaf sourdough French bread 

Shrimp:

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

1 lb. large or extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails off 

Salad:

2 large, ripe tomatoes cored and diced

2 ripe Haas avocados, peeled, pitted and diced

1/2 red onion, diced

Heat the grill to medium-high (in the event of inclement weather, you can also use your trusty indoor grill pan)

Vinaigrette: in a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve.

Bread: In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, garlic powder, oregano and salt. Cut the sourdough French bread into thick slices (approx. 1 1/4 inches thick). Brush both sides of each slice generously with the oil mixture. Set aside.

Shrimp: In a large bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice and black pepper. Add the shrimp and toss to coat evenly.

Now, you're ready to grill! Add bread slices to your pre-heated grill and toast for about 2 minutes per side. While bread is toasting, arrange the shrimp on the other side of the frill. Cook the shrimp until just pink and firm, about 2 minutes per side.

Remove the bread to a cutting board and cut into bite sized cubes. Transfer the bread and cooked shrimp to a large serving bowl. Add the tomatoes, avocados and onion and toss gently. Drizzle the salad with the vinaigrette then genly toss again to mix well. Serve immediately.

Serves 6-8

A "Savor the Moment" Classic: Over Your Leftovers? Try the Roasted Sea Bass in Prosciutto

I originally posted this entry last year right after Thanksgiving. It is such a delicious recipe and was so well-received I just had to post it again. It is the perfect dish to enjoy once you are "over" your leftovers. I hope you enjoy it!

For anyone who’s hit their limit with Thanksgiving leftovers – they were definitely great while they lasted – this is a fantastic, Quick Cook recipe perfect for a tasty weeknight meal or even entertaining friends. It takes all of about 30 minutes to make including prep time – no joke! It was so good I just had to include the recipe:

Roasted Sea Bass in Prosciutto
¼ cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons dried rosemary leaves, crushed
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
4 (6-ounce, ½ inch-thick) pieces Chilean sea bass fillet, cod or other firm white fish
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
5 or 6 (or more) very thin slices prosciutto
Garnish: shaved fresh Parmesan cheese; 4 rosemary sprigs

Combine the butter, rosemary, thyme, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a small nonreactive bowl and mix well. Arrange the fish on a foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and spread with the butter mixture. Arrange the prosciutto over the fish, covering the tops and sides.
Roast at 450 degrees on the middle oven rack for 15 minutes or until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Remove to a serving platter and garnish with the shaved Parmesan cheese and rosemary sprigs.
Note: The herb butter can be prepared in advance and chilled until needed; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before using. The fish can be prepared in advance and stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before roasting.
Serves four

I made the butter mixture right before assembling the fish - softening the butter in the microwave at 10 second increments to be sure it didn’t get melty. I spread each fish fillet with the mixture, then wrapped each one with two pieces of prosciutto. I served the dish with creamy, Parmesan rice and asparagus. The creamy texture of the fish is so nicely enhanced by the lemony, herb butter and saltiness of the prosciutto – truly a mouth-watering combination!

I served this delicious dish with a 2007 Masi Masianco, an Italian, white wine made from a blend of Pinot Grigio and Verduzzo grapes (75%/25%). This wine is a “Supervenetian,” which are wines made from a combination of grapes from the Veneto and Friuli regions of Italy that utilize the "appassimento" process which involves laying grapes out for partial drying after harvesting. This process adds more body, richness and complexity to the finished wine. In this case, the Verduzzo grapes were harvested and then ripened on racks for three weeks before beginning fermentation.

With its flavors of lemon cream, peaches and dried apricots the wine was a perfect pairing for the sea bass. Masi specializes in the production of Amarones and Reciotos, using the aforementioned historic technique of "appassimento" (drying of the grapes). Masi rediscovered and refined the technique of double fermentation using semi-dried grapes, and markets successful wines such as Campofiorin, its special selection Brolo di Campofiorin, Valpolicella dell'Anniversario Serego Alighieri and Passo Doble, produced in Argentina.

Hope you enjoy this delicious post-Thanksgiving pairing!

Bon Appétit,

Easy, Elegant Italian: Zucchini Basil Soup and Tuscan Bread Salad

Looking for an easy, elegant Italian meal to add to your repertoire? These delightful recipes from "Savor the Moment" will definitely fit the bill! Creamy, flavorful Zucchini Basil Soup (pg. 119) is delicious paired with Tuscan Bread Salad (pg. 129) made with ripe, juicy tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and cubes of toasted bread. This is actually a panzanella salad, an Italian dish originating in the regions of Tuscany, Umbria, Marche and Lazio that is very popular in the summer months. It includes sliced bread and fresh tomatoes, flavored with basil, olive oil, and vinegar. Ideally, the bread used should be day- to week-old, saltless Tuscan bread made in a wood oven. I used French bread from Publix and it turned out great!

This delicious duo makes for a great dinner for your family or for entertaining friends. Serve with a light, crisp Pinot Grigio and you have a fabulous, user friendly meal! I have included both recipes in this post in the hopes of inspiring some fabulous readers to purchase copies of "Savor the Moment" for you, your family and friends (well, at least for you)! You will not be disappointed! To purchase "Savor the Moment" please click here - Mangia!

Zucchini Basil Soup (pg. 119)
2 cups chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 cups chicken broth
14 small zucchini, chopped (about 8 cups)
3 tablespoons uncooked rice
1/3 cup cream cheese
Garnish
basil leaves
cream cheese
Saute the onions, garlic, basil and thyme in the butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat until the onions are tender. Add the chicken broth and zucchini.
Bring to a boil and stir in the rice. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in the cream cheese until melted.
Process in batches in a food processor for 30 seconds. Combine the batches in a soup tureen and season with salt. Garnish with a basil leaf and a dollop of cream cheese. Serves twelve.
**I halved the recipe and it turned out great!
**I used 1 teaspoon of chopped, fresh thyme instead of the dried
**Instead if transferring the soup to a food processor, use an immersion blender to conveniently puree in the pot you cooked it in - very convenient!


Tuscan Bread Salad (pg. 129)
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 large yellow or red bell pepper, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/3 cup coarsely chopped basil
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
3 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces Italian or French bread
Combine the tomatoes, bell pepper, cheese and basil in a bowl. Whisk the olive oil, vinegar and garlic in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add to the tomato mixture and mix well.
Cut the bread into 1-inch cubes. Spread on a baking sheet. Broil for 1 minute or just until the cubes begin to brown, stirring once. Add to the salad and mix gently. Spoon onto serving plates. Serves two.