From: Executive chef kent Rathbun, Abacus Restaurant, Dallas.
Yield: 8 servings.
CHEESE CRUST:
2 oz. butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped
12 oz. Cumin Boere Kaas cheese, shredded, divided
VINAIGRETTE:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/8 cup lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp. garlic, minced
1/2 Tbsp. shallot, minced
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt
SALAD:
2 cups chickpeas, cooked, drained
8 oz. watercress, washed, dried
1 red bell pepper, julienned thin
1 red onion, julienned thin
SHRIMP:
16 pieces (10 per pound) Gulf shrimp, cleaned, deveined
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. crushed black pepper
2 tsp. kosher salt
For crust: In sautè pan, melt butter. Add panko bread crumbs and sautè until bread crumbs are golden brown, approximately 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Transfer to mixing bowl. Fold in parsley and 8 oz. cheese. Reserve remaining cheese for final assembly.
For salad: In mixing bowl, combine all salad ingredients and refrigerate until serving time.
For shrimp: In mixing bowl, mix shrimp with oil, garlic, pepper and salt. In sautè pan over high heat, sautè shrimp until slightly browned on one side. Turn shrimp over. Cook for 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Lay shrimp flat on greased baking sheet. Mound small amount of cheese crust mixture on top of each shrimp. Bake at 350°F until shrimp is baked and crust is melted and brown, about 5 minutes.
To assemble dish: Mix salad with half the vinaigrette, coating all watercress leaves. Divide salad among 8 large deepdish bowls. Arrange 2 cheese-crusted shrimp, one on left and one on right side of salad. Spoon a small amount of remaining vinaigrette around each bowl. Garnish each shrimp piece with a small amount of remaining cheese.
Photo Credit - Dairy Management Inc.