Name: grilled romaine with prosciutto-wrapped shrimp
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons, divided; 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar; 1 small garlic clove, peeled and shredded; 1 teaspoon dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon heavy cream or half & half; pinch of sugar; kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper; 8 jumbo raw shrimp, shells removed ((about 6.5 ounces)); 8 narrow slices of prosciutto ((about 1.75 ounces)); 2 hearts of romaine lettuce, split in half lengthwise; shaved parmesan cheese, for serving ((optional)); crumbled blue cheese, for serving ((optional))

Have you ever had a grilled caesar salad? So delicious with all that smoky flavor. This Grilled Romaine with Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp is similar. After all, the romaine is grilled then topped off with a tasty balsamic vinaigrette.

But it’s the grilled shrimp that’s been wrapped in thinly sliced prosciutto that takes it right over the top.

All about the dressing…

Let’s talk about the vinaigrette. It’s best to prepare the dressing before working on the rest. Give the ingredients some time to hang out together. This one is easy to make and full of flavor. If you aren’t a big fan of a strong garlic flavor, cut down on the amount by using just half the clove. And instead of grating it, just mince it …the resulting flavor won’t be as intense.

The recipe produces a small amount of dressing so no need to pull out the full-size food processor …I use my mini processor and it does the trick. The other thing to keep in mind is that this salad would be delicious with your favorite caesar dressing or any vinaigrette that you may prefer. As I often say …make it your own.

Time to move on to the main event…

When preparing the shrimp, gently cut through the back so that you can remove the shell along with that yucky vein that is typically running the length of the shrimp.
The shell is so easy to remove at that point.
I like to keep the tail attached so that the shrimp is less likely to curl up during the grilling process.

A little goes a long way…

As you can see, you don’t need to use an excessive amount of prosciutto. For this presentation, I used four thin slices that I turned into eight narrow slices by cutting each one in half lengthwise.

When placing the shrimp onto the skewers, try to pierce them so that the skewer runs through most of the length of the shrimp.
That way, they should lie flat while they cook especially when they are flipped over.
Depending on the length of your skewers, I find that a maximum of two shrimp on each leaves enough empty skewer to use as a handle.

No extra salt required…

When seasoning the romaine and shrimp skewers before grilling, do not add extra salt to the shrimp. The prosciutto is salty enough on its own.

Hover over that grill…

Use caution when grilling the romaine …once the grill marks begin to appear, it will become charred very quickly.
The desired result should be that the edges are lightly charred while the rest retains its crispiness.
The resulting contrast in texture is amazing.

Time to enjoy your Grilled Romaine with Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp…

This salad is so good just as it is but when you top it off with your favorite cheese, it is beyond delicious. I used shaved parmesan and blue cheese crumbles here, but you can switch it up to what you prefer.

There’s always crumbled queso fresco or feta, just to name a few. Delicious grilled bread is totally optional. But highly recommended.

grilled romaine with prosciutto-wrapped shrimp

Based on a recipe from foodie crush

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 2 to 4 servings

Author Rosemary Stelmach

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil plus 2 tablespoons, divided
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 small garlic clove, peeled and shredded
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 teaspoon heavy cream or half & half
pinch of sugar
kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
8 jumbo raw shrimp, shells removed (about 6.5 ounces)
8 narrow slices of prosciutto (about 1.75 ounces)
2 hearts of romaine lettuce, split in half lengthwise
shaved parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)
crumbled blue cheese, for serving (optional)

Instructions

Preheat an outdoor grill to high heat for about 10 minutes.
In a blender or small food processor, mix the 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, dijon mustard, cream and a pinch of sugar and process until smooth. Season with the kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Wrap each cleaned shrimp with a slice of prosciutto. Thread 2 wrapped shrimp on metal skewers (or wooden skewers that have been soaked in water for about 10 minutes). Repeat with remaining shrimp.
Drizzle the shrimp with one tablespoon of olive oil and season with freshly ground black pepper.
Drizzle the additional tablespoon of olive oil on the cut side of each half of the hearts of romaine lettuce and season with kosher salt and pepper.
Grill the shrimp for 2 to 3 minutes on each side or just until opaque. Grill the romaine lettuce cut side down for about 3-4 minutes just on one side or until grill marks appear.
Place the grilled lettuce on a platter cut side up. Sprinkle with the cheese of your choice. Drizzle the balsamic dressing lightly over the top and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

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