Tip : This appetizer can be prepared over 2 days. The shrimp can be peeled, pounded thin and formed into the desired shape the day before. In addition, the vegetables can be peeled and sliced ahead of time and stored in the fridge overnight.
Ingredients
- 2 large prawns/shrimp per person
Lemon and oil vinaigrette
- 3 tbsp very fine olive oil or canola oil
- 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Garnish
- 1 whole pink grapefruit peeled
- 2 large red radishes very thinly sliced using a mandolin
- 1 small heart of fennel
- 10-12 leaves mache greens or micro greens
- salt and freshly ground pepper (pink and black peppercorns)
Green and Red Dots
- 2 tbsp mayonnaise (Hellman's) divided
- 1 drop red food coloring
- 1 drop green food coloring
Instructions
Gather all ingredients before starting the recipe.
- Trim a reusable plastic bag to the approximate size of the serving plate that you plan to use. Cut open 3 sides of the bag, leaving the 4th intact, so that you have a flap that will fold over the shrimp.
- Peel and remove 2 large prawns/shrimp per person from shell.
- Slice shrimp in half and lay out raw shrimp on one half of the plastic bag. Place shrimp in freezer for 5 minutes to get it firm.
- After 5 minutes, using a flat mallet, gently pound the shrimp until you form a thin layer, less than a quarter of an inch. Adjust the shrimp to fill any gaps left after the shrimp has been flattened. Square edges, using a knife, and check to see if the shrimp, cut in half lengthwise (after freezing), will fit your serving platter.
- Place the shrimp on a cookie sheet so that the shrimp lies flat and place them in the freezer until the shrimp is hard. About 30 minutes or overnight.
Lemon and Oil Vinaigrette
- Mix 3 tbsp very fine olive oil or canola oil and 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice and salt and freshly ground pepper (pink and black peppercorns). Pour into a plastic bottle with a nozzle tip.
Garnish
- Peel and segment 1 whole pink grapefruit and add the segments to a small bowl. You should have 4 segments per serving.
- Using a mandolin, slice 1 small heart of fennel and 2 large red radishes into very thin slices and add to the grapefruit segments.
- Tear 10-12 leaves mache greens or micro greens and add to grapefruit.
- Lightly season the vegetable mix with salt and freshly ground pepper (pink and black peppercorns) and then drizzle with vinaigrette. Toss to combine, don't overdress, squeeze a little, taste and add more if more is needed.
Assembly
- Remove shrimp from freezer, remove shrimp from plastic, and using a serrated knife, cut the shrimp cake to your serving plate size. Each serving should be about 6" long and about 2" wide. Place the shrimp cakes on your serving platter.
- Drizzle some dressing over the shrimp and season with salt and freshly ground pepper (pink and black peppercorns).
- Place 4 grapefruit segments on the shrimp, opposite edges and diagonally.
- Top each grapefruit segment with a small amount of fennel, then one slice of radish, and finally one leaf of mache.
Green and Red Dots
- Add 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise to a small dish and tint it with 1 drop green food coloring Stir until fully blended, then transfer to a squeeze bottle fitted with a small tip. Repeat with another tablespoon of mayonnaise and 1 drop red food coloring, mixing well before adding it to a second squeeze bottle.
- Squeeze a tiny drop of the colored mayonnaise randomly onto the plate. Start with one color, then add small drops of the second. Work in a loose diamond pattern so the placement feels natural and the dots appear more random.