Mint-Marinated Shrimp with Tabbouleh, Tomatoes & Feta
Refreshing, elegant meal on a hot summer day - no heating up the stove or oven. I have served 6 with this recipe and a side of hummus and pita. Allow 2 - 3 hours before serving time as bulgur takes about 2 hours to absorb liquid.
Refreshing, elegant meal on a hot summer day - no heating up the stove or oven. I have served 6 with this recipe and a side of hummus and pita. Allow 2 - 3 hours before serving time as bulgur takes about 2 hours to absorb liquid.
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups bulgar medium or coarse
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice + 2 tbl
- 1/3 cup olive oil + 2 tbl
- 6 tbsp chopped fresh mint divided
- 2 tsp coarse kosher salt divided
- 20 large shrimp w/tails intact
- 3 plum tomatoes seeded & coarsley chopped
- 1/2 cup arugula finely chopped
- 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbled, (about 3 oz)
- 2 green onions chopped
- Carbohydrate 93.91688 g
- Cholesterol 69.8875 mg
- Fat 24.366515 g
- Fiber 22.55714920035 g
- Protein 24.99612 g
- Saturated Fat 5.709833 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (418g)
- Sodium 1456.23 mg
- Sugar 71.35973079965 g
- Trans Fat 1.36984250000001 g
- Calories 661 calories
Step-by-step
- Stir bulgur, 1 1/2 cups water, 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1/3 cup oil in large bowl. Let stand until bulgur is tender and most liquid is absorbed.
- Whisk together remaining 2 Tbl lemon juice, 2 Tbl oil, 3 Tbl mint and 1/2 tsp salt in medium bowl. Mix in shrimp and marinate about 30 minutes.
- Drain off excess liquid from bulgar. Mix in tomatoes, arugula, feta, green onions, garlic, remaining mint and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Season to taste w/pepper.
- Serve by mounding salad in large bowl or individual plates and spooning shrimp and its dressing over the top.
Raw bulgur wheat does not require thermal cooking to soften; cold liquid absorption preserves its distinct toothsome chew without turning the grain into mush. Standard medium or coarse grades need at least two hours submerged in water, lemon juice, and oil to fully hydrate, rendering heat entirely unnecessary. Rushing this rehydration step results in hard, brittle grains that compromise the texture of the finished dish.
Multiplying or reducing quantities requires keeping the liquid-to-grain ratio consistent at three-quarters of a cup of water per cup of bulgur. Doubling the batch for a crowd necessitates using a very wide mixing bowl to ensure the lemon juice and olive oil distribute evenly across all the grains. Smaller portions demand precise measurement of the garlic and salt to prevent overpowering the delicate sweetness of the shellfish.
Marinating raw shrimp in fresh mint, olive oil, and citrus juice for precisely thirty minutes allows the acid to lightly firm the exterior without dissolving the delicate protein. Exceeding a forty-five-minute soak time will cause the crustacean flesh to become chalky and rubbery as the citrus continues to denature the proteins past optimal tenderness. Drain the excess marinade completely before combining components to prevent watery pooling at the base of the serving platter.
Seeding plum tomatoes before dicing prevents excess moisture from destabilizing the oil dressing clinging to the grains. Excess liquid left inside the tomato cavities will leach out into the greens and cheese, washing away the salinity of the crumbled feta and turning the arugula soggy within minutes of assembly.
