Warmer weather is upon us! You know what that means, fresh fruits and vegetables, bright citrus flavors and crispy grill marked seafood.
To get me through the dull Winter months, I have been making several variations of shrimp tacos. And since the weather is not quite warm enough to fire up the grill, pan seared shrimp tacos will have to do.
My favorite part about the shrimp tacos is topping them with fresh fruit salsa. It is my inspiration for tasty, flavor-packed summer dishes like this tropical shrimp farro salad!
I wanted to take the crispy shrimp and fruit salsa and combine it with a hearty grain. This farro salad is bursting with tropical flavors making it the perfect summer side dish.
Tropical Shrimp Farro Salad
Ingredients:
1/2 c. uncooked farro
1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
Fruit Salsa:
1/2 whole mango, cut into chunks
1/2 whole tomato, cut into chunks
1/2 c. chopped pineapple
1 shallot, minced
2 tsp fresh mint, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Honey Lime Vinaigrette:
1/4 c. fresh lime juice
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 tsp cumin
Pinch of granulated ginger
1/4 c. olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Prepare the 1/2 cup of farro according to the package directions. Once it is cooked, drain and set aside.
Wash the shrimp and pat them dry. Combine cumin, paprika, garlic, salt and pepper to make the seasoning. Sprinkle the seasoning evenly on both sides of the shrimp. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the seasoned shrimp, about 3 minutes on each side. Place the shrimp on paper towels to drain any excess oil.
To make the fruit salsa, chop the mango, tomato and pineapple into similar sized chunks. Mince the shallot and mint. Combine all the salsa ingredients together and season with salt and pepper.
Mix the fruit salsa with the cooked farro. Depending on how you prefer to eat shrimp, you can leave them whole or cut them in half. Add the cooked shrimp to the farro mixture.
To make the honey lime vinaigrette, whisk all of the ingredients together until smooth. Season the vinaigrette with salt and pepper.
Keep farro salad refrigerated and drizzle the honey lime vinaigrette over the tropical farro salad once it is ready to be served.
