Shrimp with Shaved Fennel, Cucumber, and Grapefruit Salad

If this post doesn't show my true dedication to you and this blog, then...I don't know what will.

Two nights ago as I was making this delicious dish to share with you...I had a little accident.

And when I say little...I mean I sliced off the tip of my finger.  As in...The. Whole. Darn. Thing.  As in...nothing remains of that little finger tip on my right hand ring finger.  As in...ouuuuch.

I obviously don't want to go into too many details since this is a food blog and all.  It's one of those things mom would scold you for talking about at the dinner table.  And we don't want that now do we?

So a little explanation shall suffice.  The incident involved a mandoline slicer, my ignorance, a lot of blood, and maybe a little passing out.  Luckily, the men of the apartment sprang into action and saved me and my poor profusely bleeding finger.  They promptly had me laying down, water in one hand, applying pressure to the other, and a cold rag on my head.  How great are they?

After half an hour of being bandaged up and feeling a little woozy, I popped back up and returned to the kitchen to finish the dish.  The shrimp were even still warm.  After I finished up, I snapped a few pictures....all the while trying to avoid getting bloody fingerprints everywhere.

If you haven't concluded this already: I'm dedicated to this little thing called a blog.  Nothing can stop me.  Not even a sliced off finger.  Or the tip anyway.  The whole finger might be a different story...

Enough about that bloody incident.  It's starting to sound like I'm bragging.  Which is possible, since I'm a firm believer that the more kitchen related injuries you endure the better your food tastes.  It's possible that this is complete nonsense.  But I find that irrelevant.

So...this dish.  It's kind of unreal.  And should probably be the new poster child for summer dishes.  Martha wanted me to make it with scallops but I couldn't acquire them.  So, I went with shrimp instead.  And it was delicious.  It's unbelievably simple but the flavors go sooooo well together to create this light refreshing dish.

shrimp with shaved fennel, cucumber, and grapefruit... 

adapted from Martha Stewart Living June 2012

Makes: 2 large servings   Prep Time: 15 minutes   Cook Time: 5 minutes   Total Time: 20 minutes

{Printable Recipe}

Ingredients:
1 ruby red grapefruit
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound uncooked shrimp (or 3/4 pound large sea scallops)
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, divided
freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup English cucumber, thinly shaved crosswise on a mandoline
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 large fennel bulb, cut in half (root end trimmed but left intact to keep fennel together)

Directions:

1. Finely grate 1/2 teaspoon grapefruit zest.  Peel grapefruit with a pairing knife and remove all pith.  Working over a bowl, cut 3/4 of the grapefruit segments from the membranes, cut into bite-size pieces, and set aside,  Squeeze juice of the remaining segments into a bowl.  It should be about 1/3 cup of juice.
2. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle shrimp with 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and saute until pink, about 3 minutes.  Divide between two plates and loosely tent with foil.  Reduce heat to low, and add grapefruit juice.  Cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits, until reduced to 1 tablespoon, about 2 minutes.  Pour sauce over shrimp.
3. Combine cucumber, lemon juice, remaining 2 teaspoons of oil, grapefruit zest and pieces, chives, tarragon, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl.  Shave fennel into bowl, season with pepper, and gently toss to combine.  Pile salad atop shrimp.
4. Enjoy!