Recipe for Salad with Tomatoes, Avocado, Feta, Shrimp, and Caper Vinaigrette

One interesting thing about blogging is how it becomes a record of what foods you're craving at different times of the year. Last year it was March 4 before that mid-winter tomato craving hit and I posted Pinto Bean Salad with Avocado, Tomatoes, Red Onion, and Cilantro. This year I spotted the recipe for Greek Salad with Avocado, Shrimp, and Caper Vinaigrette from Nick's Fishmarket Maui in the R.S.V.P. column in Bon Appetit Magazine, and tomatoes jumped into my basket the next time I was at Costco. I did enjoy the tomatoes, but what really made this salad special was the caper vinaigrette. Capers are the pickled or salted bud of the caper plant and this recipe used capers in brine, even adding some of the caper liquid. I adapted the restaurant's recipe a bit, but I'd never leave out the capers, which were a brilliant addition here.

Capers are not herbs, but they're an interesting plant ingredient so I'm submitting this for Weekend Herb Blogging, hosted by The Well-Seasoned Cook. If you're cooking with herbs or plants and want to participate, here are the rules for Weekend Herb Blogging.

I pulsed the capers, chopped roasted red pepper, and minced parsley in the food processor a few times, which I think helped spread those flavors throughout the vinaigrette.

Then put those things in a bowl and whisk in some Dijon, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. The restaurant makes the dressing a day ahead to let the flavors combine, which is probably a good idea if you can stand to wait.

Salad with Tomatoes, Avocado, Feta, Shrimp, and Caper Vinaigrette
(Recipe adapted from Greek Salad with Avocado, Shrimp, and Caper Vinaigrette from Nick's Fishmarket Maui featured in Bon Appetit Magazine, March 2009.)

Dressing Ingredients:
(enough for at 6-8 salads but make it all so you can have the salad a few times)
4 oz. capers with juice (1/2 cup)
2 T minced roasted red pepper (from a jar)
2 T minced fresh parsley
1 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
(original recipe called for chopped boiled egg whites, which I couldn't convince myself was essential in this!)

Dressing Instructions:

Put capers with liquid, minced roasted red pepper, and minced parsley in food processor with steel blade and pulse 20-30 seconds, until ingredients are coarsely chopped, then place ingredients in small plastic bowl. Stir in Dijon and red wine vinegar, then whisk in olive oil a little at a time, until vinaigrette is emulsified. (Make dressing a day ahead if desired. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Salad Ingredients: (2 servings)
1 large handful shredded romaine lettuce
1 avocado, diced
3-4 small tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled Feta
1/2 cup cooked salad shrimp
(original recipe called for Maui onion, which sounded good but I didn't have any sweet onions.)

Salad Instructions:

Put chopped romaine lettuce into medium-sized salad bowl, add about 2 T dressing and toss until lettuce is well-coated with dressing. (It will seem like too much dressing until you add the other ingredients.) Add chopped avocado, tomatoes, and salad shrimp, along with 1-2 T more dressing and toss gently. Top salad with crumbled feta.

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South Beach Suggestions:

This would make a great main-dish salad for any phase of the South Beach Diet or any other low-glycemic eating plan. For phase two or three, add something like White Bean and Artichoke Dip with Whole Wheat Tortilla Chips if desired.

More Interesting Recipes with Capers:
(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)
Chicken Picatta with Fried Capers from Kalyn's Kitchen
Chicken with Roasted Lemons, Green Olives, and Capers from Kalyn's Kitchen
Crockpot Beef Stew with Olives, Garlic, Capers, and Tomatoes from Kalyn's Kitchen
Green Cauliflower Soup with Capers and Lemon from Lucullian Delights
Carrots with Capers from Mediterranean Cooking in Alaska
(Want even more recipes with capers? I find these recipes from other blogs using Food Blog Search.)