Recipe: Warm Salad of Shrimp, Radicchio, Arugula, and Balsamic Vinegar

Warm Salad of Shrimp, Radicchio,
Arugula, and Balsamic Vinegar

Scampi, Radicchio, e Rucola al Balsamico
Serves 4

Another antipasto from Giampaolo Ghilardotti, the talented young chef of the country hotel Locanda del Lupo in Parma's countryside, this pairs hot and cold ingredients in a delightful salad.

Ingredients:
1/2 small head radicchio, washed, and dried
5 cups loosely packed arugula leaves,
stems removed, washed, and dried
5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup dry white wine
Salt
1/4 to 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
16 medium shrimp, shelled,
deveined, rinsed, and patted dry
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:
Cut the radicchio into thin julienne and place in a bowl. Add the arugula and toss to combine. Arrange the salad on four dinner plates.

In a small bowl, combine the balsamic, wine, and a nice pinch of salt.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook until they are lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the balsamic mixture and cook, stirring, until the liquid has reduced by approximately half, about 2 minutes.

Arrange the shrimp over the salads and spoon the hot dressing over all. Serve at once, with a bit of freshly ground black pepper.

Buy the Book!

Biba's Taste of Italy
By Biba Caggiano
Morrow Cookbooks/An Imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
William Morrow, March 2001
Hardcover, $38.00, 416 pages
ISBN: 0-688-15815-3
Recipe reprinted by permission.