Sunday Dinner: Miso Grilled Shrimp & Avocado Salad

Sundays are typically my night to cook and we’re in full-blown spring, so I recently made a miso shrimp recipe packed with flavor. It’s a twist on a new favorite: Food & Wine’s super easy and flavorful Grilled Miso Shrimp, and incorporating a tomato, bell pepper and avocado salad.

I’m becoming a bigger and bigger fan of miso paste in cooking, and combined with the other flavors, it makes for a delicious meal. Because miso paste is fermented, it lasts a long time, and can be used in many dishes including miso soup, of course! I keep it in the refrigerator, and like a big tub of Country Crock, just lob tablespoons into dishes here and there.

I wanted to add a little heartiness to this, so I served it with roasted broccoli and burrata with bread. The miso and ginger flavors combined with burrata might seem odd, but it works. Miso actually works really well with many creamy dishes (there are so many miso creamy pasta recipes out there). My perspective was first shifted on pairing Asian cuisine with dairy when I discovered one of my favorite take-out meals, kimchi fried rice. This dish creates a harmony between fried rice, kimchi and mozzarella cheese (!). Who would have thought?

You will need:

• 2 limes
• 2 tbsp yellow miso paste
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp fresh or frozen grated ginger (we keep frozen cubes in the freezer – you can buy packages of these at Trader Joe’s)
• A garlic clove
• 1 ½ tsp light brown sugar
• ¾ lb shrimp
• 1 avocado
• ½ yellow bell pepper
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes
• Chives
• Crusty bread

(I did not make Food & Wine’s sambal mayo sauce)

Check out the size of this colossal shrimp is wild (camera lens cap for scale)!

Steps:

1. Follow steps 1 and 2 in the recipe for Grilled Miso Shrimp. I let the shrimp marinate in the sauce for about an hour before grilling but you don’t have to do this.
2. While the shrimp is marinating, prepare other side dishes or accompaniments.
3. Grill the shrimp!
4. While the shrimp is cooking, season the bread with olive oil, salt and pepper, then toast or grill it (This won’t take long. Maybe a little longer with colossal shrimp!)
5. Once the shrimp is cooked and cooled, cut into 1” chunks. Cut similar sized chunks of avocado and tomatoes.
6. Cut ribbons of yellow bell pepper on a mandolin, or into small cubes.
7. Add shrimp, avocado, bell pepper and tomatoes to a bowl and season with salt and pepper. I like to keep it simple and drizzle with a little spicy oil, like Brightland’s Ardor 100% Chile Oil. *chef’s kiss* Other incredible favorite is Ooni’s Chili & Spice Pizza oil. But plain olive oil, herb infused oil or pesto would be good as well.
8. Add a few leaves of bibb (or similar) lettuce to the bowl, garnish with chives and serve!

Enjoy!