Shrimp Summer Salad in Cantaloupe Bowls

Rita~'s Note:

This is a very refreshing, sweet, no cook, healthy, lite, lemony, low fat summer meal. You can use store bought frozen cooked shrimp, But leftover grilled shrimp is just great in this salad. You don't need to salt because the capers, and feta are salty and lemon is a substitute for salt. But if you are a lover of salt taste first.

• Total Time: 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

Bowls

• 2 cantaloupes , halved seeded

Salad Ingredients

• ½ cup red pepper , diced
• 2 scallions , sliced
• ½ tablespoon capers , rinsed
• 3 cups peeled cooked shrimp , sliced in half
• 4 ounces feta cheese , crumbled

Dressing Ingredients

• ½ tablespoon minced garlic
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro or 1 teaspoon fresh parsley
• ½ cup low-fat plain yogurt , drained overnight in the refrigerator liquid discarded
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 lemon, juice and zest of
• black pepper

Garnish Ingredients

• sliced scallion
• capers
• fresh herb

Directions:

1. Scoop the meat out from the cantaloupes and rough chop leaving a 1/4 inch so to keep the shell for the dish.
2. Place the meat of the cantaloupe in a bowl with rest of salad ingredients.
3. Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a blender.
4. Toss the dressing into the salad. Chill for one hour to let the flavors meld together.
5. Scoop 1/4 of the salad into each of the cantaloupe bowls.
6. Top with garnishes.

Reviews

[poo235]

Yummy! I loved the presentation of this! Some reviews said that they didn't like the feta with the cantaloupe, but I liked the combination of sweet and salty. The dressing also worked really well with the shrimp salad. Some of the cantaloupe juice came out into the dressing giving it a little sweetness. This was such a light, refreshing summer salad. Thanks Rita!

[free-free]

Such a good recipe idea!!! We enjoyed these as a nice weekend dinner. My husband had grilled a citrus seafood dish the night before and we were left with a handful of jumbo shrimp and I had made a dish of yogurt cheese recently so I when I saw this as an option by one of my team mates for ZWT3 and JUST HAD to try it!!! I can't imagine why anyone would have doubts about cantaloupe and feta being fabulous compliments for one another and the rest of this dish falls into place wonderfully. I had an abundance of peppers on hand so I included yellow, green and just a touch of jalapeno in with the red...I was a little frightened of the caper idea at first but with some taste testing decided that they were working beautifully with the other ingredients. I was about to call it done before even making the dressing - it was that good all ready...and I'm kind of a "dressing on the side" type of girl, but I went right on along with it anyway - and although I was out of some key ingredients; (no fresh herb greens left , I had to substitute some fresh baby spinach & I skipped the sugar) it was still remarkably tasty!!! I am so glad I tried it!! We both LOVED it... I ate mine over a bed of lettuce tucked into my cantaloupe bowl without the shrimp and my husband filled his "bowl" to the brim with the whole mixture and was caught holding it in his hands to sip up every last bit...I guess that's what they mean about "licking your plate clean"!!! A wonderful salad...I will be making this all summer!! For me it works fine with or without the shrimp. It makes a lovely salad dish - creative and special with an absolutely beautiful presentation!! Thank you ~Rita~ for sharing!!!

[Zurie]

I have now, at last, made this intriguing salad. Because of uncertainty over the feta and cantaloupe together, I substituted cheddar, cut into small cubes. Cantaloupes or sweet melon are now at their very best here in SA (Jan. 07). I didn't cut the shrimps as they were fairly small. The capers were a surprising counterpoint to the tastes in this salad! I think I used more than the recipe specifies, and loved it. I also wish to apologise humbly for previously having made comments on this recipe without trying it, and having the gall to hand out stars. I was new to Zaar and very naive. Rita, this is a very original idea, most delicious, and I would love to rate it 4 1/2 stars. Husband and I scoffed the lot. Maybe this mix of tastes will not be everyone's cup of tea, but for something different on a hot summer's evening it's really rather special.