I wanted something light, but filling, as well as holiday-colorful and festive. The Granny Smith green and the pomegranate red do the trick. Buying already cooked shrimp makes the dish very accessible. Good potluck fare; recipe easily doubles or triples.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons white wine or sherry vinegar
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon-style mustard
- pinch kosher salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 pound shrimp, cooked and peeled (tails or no tails)
- 1 cup quinoa*, cooked and cooled (could sub couscous or rice)
- 2 cups spinach, raw
- 1 granny smith apple, unpeeled,cored, and sliced thinly
- 1 tablespoon cranberries, fresh or frozen, minced
- 2 clementines, peeled and segmented (or sub 1 orange)
- 1/2 cucumber, peeled and chopped
- 2 slices (very thin) red onion, pulled apart (optional)
- 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
- 2 tablespoons blue cheese, crumbled
- 2 tablespoons pecans, chopped (optional)
Instruction
- First make the orange vinaigrette (orange juice- olive oil). In a medium bowl, whisk all but the oil, and then drizzle in oil, whisking. Place shrimp in another bowl and pour in about 2 tablespoons vinaigrette to briefly marinate. Set aside vinaigrette and the bowl of shrimp.
- To a large mixing bowl, add the rest of the ingredients except the pomegranate seeds, blue cheese, and nuts, if using. Stir in the marinated shrimp. Sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Stir gently. Add just enough vinaigrette to moisten evenly. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Spoon onto a large serving platter or bowl. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, blue cheese, and nuts, if using. Serve immediately.
