TROPICAL FRUIT SALAD

Thinking about a tropical, tangy, refreshing summer salad to beat this infernal heat?  Head to the islands… or make this tropical shrimp salad at home. This marvelous summer salad contains chilled poached shrimp, a nice assortment of fruit and a lovely citrus dressing. This is a magnificent way to satisfy a heat ravaged appetite.

  My spouse, the education tipster, after sampling some, took a photograph of it, and declared it to be the best summer use of shrimp she had ever tasted.  She exclaimed that the taste was sensational and I could hardly disagree with her. Shrimp and fruit with a fruity dressing and no added sugar are very refreshing.

Tropical Shrimp Salad                        serves 6

Ingredients:

12 ounces (375g) rotini pasta

Tropical fruit dressing (recipe below)

3 oranges, peeled and cut into sections

2 grapefruits, peeled and cut into sections

1 cup of canned pineapple chunks

1 pound (500g) medium sized shrimp in the shell

Tropical fruit dressing

1/3 cup light olive oil or safflower oil

Grated peel of 1 lemon

Grated peel of 1 orange

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

¼ cup (75ml) orange juice

½ teaspoon salt

Blend all ingredients well or shake in a covered jar

Method:

• Put water on to boil for the rotini.
• Put water on to boil for the shrimp
• Make the tropical fruit dressing
• Section the oranges and grapefruit by slicing into quarters and then slicing the fruit from the peel. 
• With the water boiling, cook the rotini for 9-10 minutes, then drain and cool in ice-water.
• With the water boiling, add the shrimp and when water returns to boil, look at shrimp.  When they turn pink, drain and cool in ice-water.
• Shell, devein, and remove the tails of the poached shrimp.

• Mix the cool, drained pasta, the shrimp and all the fruit in a nice bowl, preferably glass or ceramic.
• Add the tropical fruit dressing and stir thoroughly.
• Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving