Shrimp Panzanella Salad

Using cooked shrimp makes this updated Italian-style bread salad faster to prepare. A lemony vinaigrette adds a fresh twist.

Ingredients:

Salad
4	slices (1-in./2.5-cm thick) Italian bread
1	tbsp plus 1/4 cup (15 mL plus 50 mL) olive oil, divided
1	medium carrot
1	stalk celery
1	lb (500 g) frozen medium cooked shrimp (26-30 per pound), thawed
Dressing
1	lemon
2	tbsp (30 mL) snipped fresh parsley
1	garlic clove, pressed
1/2	tsp (2 mL) salt
1/4	tsp (1 mL) coarsely ground black pepper

1. For salad, heat Grill Pan over medium-high heat 5 minutes. Lightly brush bread slices with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of the oil using Chef's Silicone Basting Brush.
2. As pan heats, peel carrot; cut in half lengthwise, then crosswise on a bias into thin slices. Thinly slice celery on a bias; set carrot and celery aside.
3. Grill bread slices 1-2 minutes on each side or until grill marks appear, turning with Chef's Tongs. Remove bread slices from pan and cool on Cutting Board. Cut bread slices into cubes with Bread Knife.
4. Meanwhile, for dressing, zest lemon to measure 1 tbsp (15 mL) zest. Juice lemon to measure 2 tbsp (30 mL) juice. Snip parsley using Kitchen Shears. Whisk together lemon zest, juice, parsley, pressed garlic, salt and black pepper in Collapsible (4-qt./4-L) Serving Bowl. Slowly add remaining 1/4 cup (50 mL) oil, whisking until well blended.
5. To assemble salad, peel shrimp; remove tails. Add shrimp, carrot and celery to dressing. Fold bread cubes into mixture.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 330, Total Fat 19 g, Saturated Fat 2.5 g, Cholesterol 65 mg, Carbohydrate 19 g, Protein 21 g, Sodium 1020 mg, Fiber 2 g

U.S. Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 3 medium-fat meat, 1/2 fat (1 carb)

Cook's Tips: Grilled bread adds great texture and smoky flavor to this salad. Thick-crusted, chewy types, such as ciabatta, will hold up well to the dressing.

Using cooked frozen shrimp saves time. Thawing shrimp overnight in refrigerator is the best. If you don’t have time to thaw overnight, place into a bowl of cold water. Drain and pat dry when ready to use. For even faster preparation, buy already peeled shrimp.

This is a great recipe to showcase a high-quality, extra-virgin olive oil. The color and flavor will shine and complement the salad.