Shelly's Recipe

MARGARITA SHRIMP SALAD

Category: Salads - Seafood

Shrimp
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Serrano chili, stemmed, seeded and finely diced
1/3 cup Tequila
2 tbsp Triple Sec or Grand Marnier
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp cumin seed, toasted and ground or 1 tsp ground cumin
1 lb shrimp (16 to 20 per lb), peeled, deveined, and slit along the backs
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salad
4 corn tortillas, 6 inch in diameter, cut into julienne
Vegetable oil for frying tortillas
1 tsp chili powder
1 tomato, cored, seeded and diced
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and diced
6 cups torn Romaine lettuce leaves, washed and thoroughly dried

For the shrimp: Combine the cilantro, garlic, chili, tequila, Triple Sec, lime juice, and cumin seed in a nonreactive bowl. Add the shrimp, turn to coat, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Drain the shrimp and reserve the marinade.

In a small saucepan over high heat, bring the reserved marinade to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until reduced by half. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl, and let cool. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Prepare a barbeque grill or preheat a broiler. Grill or broil the shrimp until just pink, about 1 minute per side. Keep warm.

For the salad: Fill a small skillet with oil to a depth of about 1 inch and place over medium heat. When the oil is about 375 degrees, fry the tortilla strips in batches until light brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with chili powder while still warm.

In a large bowl, mix together the tomato, bell pepper and lettuce. Toss with the marinade-oil dressing and divide among 4 large plates or shallow bowls. Top the salad with grilled shrimp and fried tortilla strips. Serve immediately. Serves 4