It’s summer time, and the living is easy with this quick and delicious salad. It made a perfect dinner for a hot summer evening and it was very simple to prepare with lots of flavor.

I made this salad because I was looking for a healthy, light, simple shrimp dish. This fit the bill perfectly. The simplicity of this salad allowed the shrimp to stand out and not be overpowered by other ingredients. I had everything on hand and was able to use my basil from my garden — always a plus in July.

The great thing about this dish is that it required a few basic ingredients. The total time to prep and cook is less than 30 minutes. You can serve as is or over couscous, rice, and angle hair pasta. Happy cooking and eating!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ Pounds medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined (without tails)
• 1 Garlic clove, minced
• 1 Teaspoon lemon zest, finely grated
• 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Teaspoon Balsamic vinegar
• 1 Small baguette (approx. 8 oz), cut lengthwise
• 2 cups tomatoes, cut into bite size wedges
• 1 Cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper  (I use sea salt)

Preparations

Pat the shrimp completely dry with a paper towel. In a bowl mix shrimp with lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and sauté the shrimp and garlic for 2 minutes, until shrimp are golden brown. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and set aside on a plate.  

Brush the baguette with 1 tablespoon of oil and pan fry on both sides until toasted. Cut the baguette into small bite size pieces.

Place the shrimp, baguette pieces, tomatoes and basil in a bowl and toss to combine with lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of oil, Balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. On a plate serve shrimp mixture on a bed of lettuce.  Serve hot or at room temperature.  Serves four.