Circle B Kitchen
This is such a deliciously versatile salad. You can easily leave out the shrimp and serve it as a tasty side dish. I sometimes swap out the goat cheese for blue cheese with really delicious results. Be sure to add a good portion of the goat cheese to the salad before mixing and adding the salad dressing. The goat cheese blends a little with the dressing to add a bit of creaminess. The salad holds pretty well in the fridge for up to ½ hour before serving. Oh, and be sure to serve it with some fresh, warm, crusty bread.
Serves 2 as a main course salad
4 cups of romaine and leaf lettuces torn into small pieces
2 clementines, peeled and segmented
1 avocado, sliced
¼ cup slivered toasted almonds
3 oz goat cheese, divided (see headnote)
½ lb raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
Sweet and sour dressing:
½ c oil
3 T wine vinegar
1 T lemon juice
2 T sugar
½ t salt
½ t dry mustard
½ t grated or minced onion
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray a small-ish baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Mix the dressing ingredients in a jar and shake well to emulsify. Place the shrimp in a bowl or ziptop bag, and pour a little of the dressing over the shrimp. Mix well, cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for about ½ hour. Place the rest of the dressing in the refrigerator to chill.
Remove the shrimp from the marinade (discard the marinade) and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with a little kosher salt and pepper. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until the shrimp have just turned pink and are barely cooked through. Be careful not to overcook them. Place the cooked shrimp on a plate, cover, and refrigerate while you assemble the salad.
In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, clementines, avocado, slivered almonds, and 2/3 of the goat cheese. Add the chilled shrimp and just enough of the dressing to coat everything really well. Sprinkle the salad with the remaining goat cheese and the pomegranate seeds, if using. So nice if served with some fresh, crusty bread.