Wednesday, August 7, 2013

I Finally Cooked Something!

 
     It isn't all that often that my husband actually requests me to make a recipe. So, when he goes to the trouble to actually cut out a recipe and ask me to make it, how could I say no? He found the recipe in the Wall Street Journal and thought it looked good and also healthy enough to fit in with the way we eat these days (most of the time). I did have to "tweek" the recipe a bit based on what I had and what was available in small town Illinois. The actual recipe was called Grilled Shrimp with Watermelon, Basil, Corn and Burrata. Of course I had no idea what Burrata was and when I did figure it out, I knew that I wouldn't find it in my little town. I did find that a good substitute for Burrata is Fresh Mozzarella Cheese. Burrata is an Italian fresh cheese that oozes with cream in the center. Doesn't that sound good? I guess the texture on the outside is very much like fresh mozzarella, but it has a gooey, creamy center.
 
Grilled Shrimp with Watermelon, Basil, Corn and Mozzarella
 
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 1/2 T. olive oil, plus a little extra for drizzling
2 tsp. minced garlic (I left out, we don't like it)
4 T. finely sliced fresh basil
salt and pepper
kernels from 4 ears of corn
1 1/2 T. balsamic vinegar (aged balsamic is worth the extra cost)
3 cups cubed watermelon
1 ball of fresh mozzarella, quartered

 
Toss the shrimp (raw) with 2 T. of the oil, the (optional) garlic,
and 1 T. of the basil along with the salt and pepper. Set aside.
 
     I didn't peel and devein my shrimp until after they were grilled, because they were frozen. Next time I would buy raw shrimp that were already peeled.

 
     The recipe did not call for the corn to be blanched, but I did mine. I didn't want it to be raw. I simply dropped it into boiling water for just a minute or so. Remove the corn, dry and cut the kernels off the ears. Let the corn cool a few minutes before mixing with other ingredients.
 
 
In a large bowl, mix the watermelon with
the remaining basil, remaining oil and vinegar.
 
 
Toss in the corn kernels.

 
Slice the cheese into 4 pieces and set aside until serving.
 
     Grill the shrimp over medium-high heat until pink (1-2 minutes per side). After making this, I decided that while the grilled shrimp does add some color and extra flavor...once the ingredients are tossed together, you can't tell as much that the shrimp was grilled. I think this would be almost as good if you simply added boiled shrimp.

 
     Add the shrimp to the watermelon and corn mixture. To serve, divide the salad onto 4 plates and place a hunk of cheese next to it. Sprinkle the cheese with salt and drizzle with olive oil.

 
Here is the picture from the Wall Street Journal.
I think mine turned out looking similar.
 
It is a delicious, fresh summer dish that I will
be making again soon!
 
I am joining Kim @ Savvy Southern Style for
Wow Us Wednesdays
and
I will be joining Michael @ Rattlebridge Farm for
Foodie Friday

7 comments:

Phyllis @Around the House said...

It sounds so odd It must be delicious...it looks beautiful and I think the texture of the watermelon and the shrimp has to be something incredible..thanks for sharing this cool recipe...come on over for a visit...

Barbara F. said...

I love all the ingredients in this dish! Sounds delicious! xo

Blondie's Journal said...

Honestly, the name of the recipe didn't catch my attention, but then the ingredients and process did. It looks great and I'll take your word that it's delicious! Don't you love trying something new? I've noticed watermelon popping a lot in salads and with cheeses. If you ever have a problem getting ingredients in your area, try Dean & DeLuca or IGourmet...they ship everything and anything.

XO,
Jane

NanaDiana said...

That is so different but I bet it is good. I almost licked the screen when I got to the corn. lol xo Diana

Jenny said...

This sounds delicious and yummy!

I've been craving corn on the cob!

I may have to send Mr. Jenny out tonight to find some for me!

Relyn Lawson said...

I just wanted to thank you so much for being a faithful bloggy friend. You come to my blog, read what I share and leave a kind comment. All when I have been almost nonexistent for over a month. Thank you, thank you. It means so much to me.

Glenda/MidSouth said...

I like shrimp and watermelon, but gotta think about that combination for a while, but would be willing to try the salad - if someone else made it. :D
Have a wonderful weekend.