This is a nearly traditional salad in which the grapefruit plays a leading role, complementing mild shrimp and allowing you to make an almost ridiculously easy dressing, made up of nothing more than fish sauce (called nam pla in Thailand and nuoc mam in Vietnam), or soy, lime, a bit of sugar, and some water. Use good shrimp—Pacific or Gulf whites are the best, though the less expensive and widely available tiger shrimp are acceptable—and buy them big, because you’ll have fewer to peel.
The best way to retain the grapefruit’s juices is to peel and section it as you would an orange, not by cutting it in half and scooping out the flesh as you would to serve it at the table. Remove as much of the tough white pith as you can before cutting each section in two, which you should do just before assembling the salad.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the shrimp in a saucepan with salted water to cover; bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and let sit for 5 minutes, or until opaque in the center. Cool in the refrigerator or under cold running water, then peel (and devein if you like). Cut the shrimp in half if they’re large.
Step 2
Meanwhile, make the dressing: Combine the nam pla or soy sauce with 2 tablespoons of water, the sugar, and the lime juice and blend or whisk until smooth.
Step 3
Arrange the lettuce on 4 plates; top each portion with a few grapefruit pieces, some shrimp, and the mint and cilantro; drizzle with the dressing, then sprinkle with a little chile and chopped peanuts if you like, or pass them at the table.
