Go green with a Greek shrimp salad
When my husband and I lived in Pittsburgh, we had many opportunities to visit and dine out with his aunt, Beth Chandler. She was much more well versed in cultural cuisines than we were, and she eagerly exposed us to her heritage, which included Middle Eastern and Mediterranean foods.
We ate some amazing new dishes with her, including tabbouleh, baklava and stuffed breads. She took us to restaurants in the city and delis in Harpers Ferry, where her family grew up, as well as prepared some of her signature grape leaves at home.
One of our favorite dishes was prepared at place called Amel’s, which served the most amazing Greek salad with fresh pita bread. The salad was crisp and covered in salty feta cheese and tangy Kalamata olives.
The drizzle of a lemony vinaigrette brought the vegetables to life and the pita bread was perfect for sopping up the leftover dressing. Bryan and I miss enjoying this delicious dish, but now I enjoy making my own version of this tasty salad at home. I usually add a lean protein, such as shrimp, chicken breast or grilled steak to make it a full meal.
Make this salad for your St. Pa-trick’s Day celebration this week!
Greek Shrimp Salad with Warm Pita Bread
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves 3
Salad ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
12 ounces medium shrimp, deveined, thawed, peeled and tails removed
2 large heads romaine lettuce, about 8 cups, roughly chopped
6 Roma tomatoes, sliced or 10 large cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 large cucumber, peeled and cut into half-moon shapes
18 kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
3/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
3 whole wheat pita breads, such as Joseph’s, about 60 calories per serving
Dressing ingredients
Juice of 1 large lemon, about 1/4 cup
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
Directions
Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp to the pan and season with salt and pepper.
Saute for 2 to 3 minutes until pink and cooked through. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate to cool slightly
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, honey, Dijon mustard, salt and black pepper. Whisk in the olive oil vigorously until smooth.
In a large mixing bowl combine the romaine, tomatoes and cucumbers. Pour dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat completely.
Distribute the salad between individual serving plates. Top each salad with 1/3 of the olives, cheese and cooked shrimp. Serve with warmed pita bread.
Nutritional information: calories, 539; total fat, 7.5 grams; saturated fat, 7.5 grams; sodium, 1603.6 milligrams; carbohydrates, 35.5 grams; fiber, 11.7 grams; sugar, 12.9 grams; protein, 39.3 grams; cholesterol, 197.5 milligrams.
Lauren Kudlawiec is the author of Cooking with Lauren K,a cookbook featuring healthy and affordable meals. Books are available on her website laurenkcooking.com or at the Altoona Mirror Building. She teaches at Penn Cambria High School and appears each Wednesday on her own cooking segment on WTAJ’s Central PA Live. She lives in Ebensburg with her husband and son.