Grilled Shrimp, Tofu, and Pineapple Salad

It has been abnormally chilly in New York for this time of year, it actually feels much more like San Francisco with highs in the mid-60s.  To get myself in the mindset of warmer weather, I made an Asian fusion salad with a tropical flair from ingredients such as caramelized pineapples, crisp jicama and fresh mint. This salad always transports me to the lazy afternoons in California on our garden terrace when I'd have my feet up, sipping on a glass of ripe chardonnay, basking in the sun's warmth, and watching the boats sail quietly through the bay. It was during one of those amazing clear afternoons when I first made this salad, so I have very warm memories affiliated with it.

This is an exotic salad that has a little bit of everything: sweet, tangy, bright, fiery and smoky. It requires some prep work, such as julienning carrots, cucumbers, and jicama, but is well worth the effort. If you have never had jicama, it is a refreshing crisp root that tastes similar to a water chestnut or a potato without the heavy starches. It can be found at Whole Foods or most Asian or Mexican grocery stores.

Grilled Shrimp, Tofu, and Pineapple Salad

(adapted from Martha Stewart Living)

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 1 package (14 ounces) firm tofu, quartered lengthwise
• 1 pound medium shrimp, shells intact, deveined

Shrimp Marinade

• 1/4 cup unseasoned rice-wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons sambal oelek chili paste
• 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh ginger

Salad Ingredients

• 1 medium pineapple, peeled
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 3 medium carrots, julienned 
• 1/2 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick crosswise
• 1 medium jicama, peeled and julienned
• 3 tablespoons sliced fresh mint

For the Dressing

• 1/4 cup unseasoned rice-wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Method

1. Make the salad: Place tofu slices on a rimmed baking sheet between layers of paper towels. Place a baking sheet weighted with heavy cans on top of the tofu. Let stand for 30 minutes. Pat tofu until completely dry.
2. Place shrimp in a bowl. Puree vinegar, honey, sambal oelek, garlic, and ginger in a food processor until smooth, and pour over shrimp. Turn shrimp until well coated. Cover and refrigerate, turning once, for 1 hour.
3. Preheat grill to medium. Cut pineapple lengthwise along sides of core into 2 large pieces, then slice each piece lengthwise into thirds. Reserve remaining center piece for another use. Grill pineapple, turning frequently, until brown, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Brush tofu with oil, sprinkle with the salt and pepper, and grill, turning once, until brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Grill shrimp, turning once, until opaque, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
4. Cut pineapple crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut tofu into 1/2-inch cubes. Peel shrimp, and combine with pineapple, tofu, carrots, cucumber, jicama, and mint in a salad bowl.
5. Make the dressing: Whisk together ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over salad, and toss until well combined.

Serves 6-8