Chef notes
This is an ideal warm-weather dish because it is light and refreshing but still so satisfying. The smoky grilled shrimp and fresh, crunchy panzanella salad make for an elegant-yet-easy-to-prepare meal.
Pre-salting the cucumbers and tomatoes in the salad makes all the difference. The salt draws out the moisture and makes the vegetables so much more delicious. It's super easy to do: Just drop them in a colander with a teaspoon of salt, give a toss and let sit in the sink draining until you've finished making the croutons and then pat dry and toss in with the salad.
For the shrimp, I learned a great trick when I was training as a food stylist: Sprinkle a little bit of sugar over the skewers before you grill to make better caramelization — you get that perfect grilled crunchy outside with the creamy inside.
Swap options: This salad would be just as delicious with chicken breasts or thighs marinated in a little lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper before you skewer and grill.
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16/20 per pound) wild caught shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 lemon
- 1/4 cup parsley leaves, for garnish
- 3 large beefsteak tomatoes, diced into 2-inch pieces
- 1 English cucumber, diced into 1-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 4 cups day-old bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 bell peppers, red and orange, diced into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup red onion, minced
- 1/2 cup basil leaves, torn into small pieces
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Preparation
For the shrimp skewers:
1.Heat grill to 350 F.
2.Combine shrimp, olive oil, salt, pepper and oregano in a bowl. Toss to coat.
3.Thread the shrimp on skewers, sprinkle evenly with sugar and place on the grill and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Flip once to ensure even grill marks.
4.Cut the lemon in half, reserve half and slice the other half into 4 thick slices.
5.Place the lemon slices on the grill and cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until browned and soft.
6.Place the grilled shrimp skewers and lemon on a serving dish and spritz with the remaining lemon half. Garnish with parsley leaves.
For the panzanella salad:
1.Place prepared tomatoes and cucumbers in a colander over a bowl or in the sink. Add 1/2 tablespoon of salt, toss and set aside to drain while making the rest of the salad.
2.Pour 1/8 cup of the olive oil, oregano and 1 teaspoon salt into a large skillet on medium heat.
3.Toss in the bread and mix to coat.
4.Pour another 1/8 cup olive oil on top.
5.Toss every 2 minutes, up to ten minutes to evenly brown the bread. Remove from the pan and set aside.
6.Drain and pat dry the tomatoes and cucumbers.
7.In a large bowl, add the remaining salad ingredients and toss with remaining olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add the croutons and mix to combine.
8.Serve immediately with shrimp skewers.
