Shrimp and Grapefruit Fennel Salad

It’s been unseasonably warm in most parts of the U.S. these past few weeks, with temperatures even reaching into the 70’s here in Detroit last week.

Mind you, at the end of February, we’re usually bundled in winter coats with two sweaters underneath when we head outside at this time of year.

Most people, myself included, took the opportunity to get outside as much as possible and soak in the sunlight. But, whereas my husband was more than happy to break out the golf clubs and get a round in, I was hesitant to bring my bicycle up from the basement.

Biking is by far my favorite summer hobby / pastime / exercise, but I worried that if I took a few rides outside in February, it would be all the more soul-crushing when the weather gets cold and miserable again for another few months.

So, I settled for some long walks but held myself back from the bike riding.

I did, however, use the heat wave as an excuse to break away from winter comfort food and enjoy a lighter meal that reflected the outside temperature. I’ve been absolutely in love with grapefruit this year, and the pairing of grapefruit + fennel is one of my very favorite flavor combinations.

I tossed the salad in a homemade dressing made with Dijon mustard, honey, white wine vinegar, minced shallot and grapefruit zest (another great homemade salad dressing option for this salad would be my Citrus Salad Dressing.).

Then, I plated this light and fresh salad with some simply spiced and roasted shrimp for an easy and delicious dinner. Shrimp and citrus are a natural pairing, which is why shrimp ceviche is such a classic dish!

I’ve found that the best way to eat grapefruit (other than in grapefruit mules) is to segment them in order to remove the pith and peel. Once the grapefruit is segmented, you can eat as-is or incorporate into a recipe like this Roasted Shrimp with Grapefruit & Fennel Salad.

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Citrus Fennel Salad with Shrimp

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Craving a lighter dinner? Pull together some fresh ingredients in about 20 minutes with this "home chef" recipe.

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Ingredients

• 1 pound 26-30 count peeled and deveined shrimp, patted dry
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon minced shallot
• 1/2 teaspoon grapefruit zest
• Pinch of kosher salt and ground black pepper
• 2 medium fennel bulbs, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (reserve fronds for garnish)
• 2 grapefruit, peeled and segmented
• Torn fresh parsley leaves for garnish (optional)
• Flaky sea salt for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In medium bowl, toss shrimp with 1 tablespoon oil, chili powder and paprika until shrimp are evenly coated in oil and spices. Spread shrimp on rimmed baking pan in single layer; transfer to oven and bake 5 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through.
2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, whisk vinegar, mustard, honey, shallot, grapefruit zest, salt and pepper and remaining 2 tablespoons oil until smooth. Add fennel and toss until well combined. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes.
3. Add grapefruit to fennel mixture and gently toss until combined.
4. Serve shrimp with salad. Garnish salad with parsley leaves, sea salt and/or chopped fennel fronds, if desired.

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