Garlic Toast Citrus Slaw with Grilled Shrimp

I’m sharing this garlic toast citrus slaw with grilled shrimp as another trusty meal for one.  But the truth is, the first time I made it was over the weekend when Steve was home.  It was meant to be a quick “what’s in the fridge and freezer” kinda dish and was also meant to use up some sourdough bread I had left over from another meal.

For that reason, the expectations were not that high.  After all, these things don’t really seem to match, do they?  Garlic parmesan toast, a citrus slaw, southwest seasoned grilled shrimp.  Sounds like an unlikely dish.  Yummy on their own but not intuitively good all together.

Well, Steve and I LOVED it!

Broiling the toast gave it a wonderful crispy and lightly charred aspect, while the other side remained chewy.  That’s a wonderful mouth feel.  The lime and parsley made the slaw pop with freshness, while the southwest seasoned shrimp was bold and warm.  Plus, the toast soaked up some of the dressing from the slaw, which made it even better!

So, today I thought I would share this with you, but since Steve is on the road once more, I made only enough for me.  Like my pan seared salmon and warm arugula salad, you can easily increase the ingredients to make this for two or more.

so, let’s make the Garlic Toast Citrus Slaw with Grilled Shrimp

This is what you need for the broiled sourdough toast.

And this is what you need for the shrimp and slaw.

Please note that the recipe will make more dressing than you need for a serving for one.  Like soup, I don’t know how to make a small amount of salad dressing.  I tend to make the same amount every time.  Basically, an amount that is enough for a family-sized salad.  If I am making a smaller salad, I store what’s left of the dressing in the fridge.  It’s always good for a different salad the next day!

First mix the dressing so it can sit and get happy while you prepare the rest of the meal.  This is the same salad dressing I shared in my recipe for wilted arugula salad with lime dressing.   It’s a versatile little dressing, with a wonderful fresh taste that pairs with lots of different salad ideas.

In a bowl, toss the cabbage, grated carrots, slivered onions, and chopped parsley until everything is evenly distributed.  Then prepare your bread and season the shrimp.

For the toast, you want to slice your crusty sourdough thinly.  Mine was only about 1/4 inch thick.  Since the bread is crusty, I like to use an electric knife.  That allows you to cut nice, thin slices without destroying your loaf.  The slices should be thin because the garlic toast should complement the slaw and shrimp, not take over as the main ingredient.

Spread butter on one side of each slice, sprinkle a small pinch of garlic powder, then top with the grated parmesan.

Heat a heavy non-stick or cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat.  While the pan is heating, drizzle some olive oil over the shrimp, and then season it with 1/2 teaspoon of southwest seasoning rub.  I always have some in my spice rack.  It is the same rub I shared on my southwest Caesar salad recipe, and I use it for tons of Mexican-inspired meals.  So, I always mix quite a bit more than I need and then store it in a plastic container with my other spices.

Before toasting the bread and pan grilling the shrimp, season the slaw with some of the dressing and toss it well.

Broil the toast with the treated side up on the top rack of the oven for 1-2 minutes, depending on how brown you like it.  As I said before, I like a little bit of char on mine because it gives is a bit of a brick oven flavor (similar to a nice pan con tomate).   But if you don’t like your bread charred, watch it under the broiler and pull it out when it looks good to you.

Pan grill the shrimp for just a couple of minutes per side.  I love the taste of shrimp and I really love how quickly they cook.  If you overcook them, they turn dry and rubbery, so watch them and remove them when both sides become opaque and there is not excessive give when you push down on the fleshiest part.

Then create a salad base by slightly overlapping the garlic toast slices, stack a nice amount of the dressed slaw, and place the lovely grilled shrimp on top.

The toast and shrimp are still warm, and the slaw is fresh, citrusy, and herby.  It’s a lovely taste of summer that you can enjoy year-round.

Normally, I try to avoid bread, so if you want to cut most of the carbs from this recipe, you can omit the garlic toast base.  The citrus slaw and shrimp will be quite yummy on their own.  But, in all honesty, this dish is really special with that beautifully flavored, nicely charred, crunchy-chewy base!

There you go!  A meal for one (or more), full of flavor, and healthy to boot!

Enjoy!

Garlic Toast Citrus Slaw with Grilled Shrimp

Lori

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 6 mins

Total Time 11 mins

Servings 1

Ingredients

  

• FOR THE DRESSING
• 1 teaspoon fresh garlic diced
• ¼ cup lime juice about 2 small limes
• 2 tablespoons water
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 teaspoons agave nectar
• Salt
• Fresh cracked pepper
• 
  
• FOR THE GARLIC TOAST
• 2 thin slices 1/4-inch crusty sourdough bread
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 small pinches garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons heaping grated Parmesan cheese
• 
  
• FOR THE SHRIMP
• 6 medium shrimps
• 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon southwest style seasoning mix
• 
  
• FOR THE SLAW
• 1 1/2 cups fresh cabbage sliced thinly
• 1/4 cup shredded carrots
• 1/8 cup slivered sweet onion
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

 

• Place an oven rack in the top position and set the oven to broil.
• Mix the salad dressing and set aside.
• Toss the slaw ingredients and set aside.
• Heat a heavy, non-stick or cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat.
• Season the shrimp with the olive oil and southwest seasoning rub and set aside.
• Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. Sprinkle with a small pinch of garlic powder, then top with the Parmesan cheese. Broil for 1-2 minutes until toasted to taste (some light charring on the edges can add flavor).
• Dress the slaw to taste.
• Pan grill the shrimp in a single layer until just cooked through, about 1-2 minutes per side.
• Create a salad base by slightly overlapping the garlic toast slices, stack the dressed slaw, place the grilled shrimp on top, and serve.

Notes

The recipe will make more dressing than you need for a serving for one. Excess dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for a couple of days and used for other salads.