Recipe Background
Riviera Salad blends bold flavors with shrimp and lime for a vibrant feast.
The first time I made Riviera Salad was during a whirlwind trip to Nice, tucked away in a tiny kitchen that belonged to my French host family. I was there as part of a language immersion program, desiring to absorb everything from verb conjugations to the art of leisure meals. Our host, Colette, encouraged me to make dinner one evening, nudging me outside my comfort zone with her suggestion of something involving fresh seafood. I hesitantly opted for shrimp, inspired by local markets brimming with scents and colors that were still foreign to me.
I was determined to impress with simplicity and bold flavors. As I minced fresh ginger and garlic, little did I realize how marinating these shrimp in soy sauce would soon make them the centerpiece of my culinary experiment. Colette advised letting the shrimp sit for just long enough to absorb the flavors but not so long that they became overpowered. As they broiled under careful watch, I could see them start to turn that perfect shade of pink, slightly charred and alluring. Meanwhile, I balanced the zestiness of lime juice with a touch of brown sugar, daringly adding diced jalapeño for a hint of heat. Tossing these with vibrant greens and ripe cherry tomatoes felt like a celebration all on its own.
The result was more successful than I anticipated, and the room buzzed between English and French, laughing and sharing tips about cooking and life. Colette embraced my creation with warmth, offering not just culinary advice, but a deeper understanding of what it means to share a meal with people who start as strangers but end as friends. I'll always remember how quickly the dish disappeared and how that evening inspired my bold approach to flavors.
Ingredients
For the shrimp:
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 pounds large shrimp peeled and deveined
For the salad dressing:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar packed
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger minced
- 1/2 jalapeño pepper seeded and diced
For the salad:
- 1 pound mixed salad greens
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
Directions
- In a large resealable plastic bag, add the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar, 1 tablespoon of the ginger, and the garlic.
- Add the shrimp to the soy sauce mixture and seal the bag.
- Allow the shrimp to marinate for at least 5 minutes and up to 15 minutes.
- Preheat the broiler.
- Transfer the marinated shrimp to a rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan.
- Broil the shrimp until opaque, pink, and slightly charred, about 4 minutes.
- Transfer the broiled shrimp to a resting plate and let it cool slightly, reserving any juices remaining on the baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, the lime juice, the remaining brown sugar, the remaining ginger, and the jalapeño together.
- In a large bowl, toss the salad greens and the tomatoes with 3/4 of the salad dressing.
- Arrange the shrimp on the top of the salad greens and drizzle with the remaining dressing and the juices from the baking sheet.
- Serve.
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