As the weather soars near the triple digits, and food cravings hover somewhere between ice cream and beer, there is one local delicacy that satisfies not only the need to cool down that hot body, but is also light and healthy. That would be the shrimp gazpacho offered by Monahan’s Seafood Market in Ann Arbor in these preciously hot summer months.
Monahan’s is kind enough to post the recipe on their website, which I am reproducing here. It has the added bonus of being easy to make, and a splendid potluck option without having to turn up the heat in your kitchen. I recently took a gallon to a summer party and it was a big hit. (Don’t thank me, thank the fishmonger.)
I stayed true enough to this version, though I substituted Detroit-made McClure’s Spicy Bloody Mary mix for the V-8. You can also top this with lump crabmeat and avocado, but I think that’s a bit overkill. Try the basic recipe below and dress it up as you see fit.
1 lb. medium shrimp (preferably wild caught)
1 seedless cucumber; peeled, cored, diced
1 green pepper; seeded, diced
1/2 lb. zucchini grated
1/2 lb. onion diced
2-3 fresh tomatoes diced
1 28 oz. can diced San Marzano tomatoes
1 46 oz. can V-8 juice or spicy tomato-based juice
1 46 oz. can tomato juice or San Marzano tomato puree
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 C red wine vinegar
1 T basil pesto (or sub chopped basil leaves and a clove of garlic)
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
dash of tabasco
1. Peel and devein the shrimp. Boil in lightly salted water for just a minute or so until it turns pink. Refrigerate while you prepare the vegetables.
2. In a large bowl whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, pesto, salt, pepper, and tabasco. Mix in the remaining ingredients and add the shrimp at the end.
3. Serve well chilled.
4. Don’t thank me – thank my favorite fishmonger.www.monahansseafood.com!
Nick Roumel is a principal with Nacht & Roumel, PC, a firm in Ann Arbor specializing in employment and civil right litigation. He also has many years of varied restaurant and catering experience, has taught Greek cooking classes, and writes a food/restaurant column for “Current” magazine in Ann Arbor. Follow him at @nickroumel.
