25th Anniversary Salad

For my parents' 25th Anniversary, I wanted to do something really special and sentimental. I knew it would mean a lot more to them if their children (and son-in-law) cooked for them, rather than pay for dinner at a nice restaurant. My husband, my 4 brothers, and I all worked hard to create the perfect night for them. We set up a "restaurant" in our basement and wined and dined mom and dad with some of their favorites. The following salad was the first course. It is a little bit labor-intensive, but sooo worth it. Most of the work can be done in advance so you can just put it all together when it's time to eat. I hope you enjoy it as much as they did!

25th Anniversary Salad

(Serves 4)

1 bag of pre-washed mixed greens

4 slices of pancetta

1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes

1 lb 16-20 count shrimp (peeled and deviened, tails removed)

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (if you don't like a little kick, you can omit this)

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. black pepper

4 parmesan baskets (1 cup of parmesan, recipe below)

Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place each slice of pancetta on a broiler pan. Crisp in the oven, flipping them over every 5 minutes until dark brown (be careful not to burn!). When cool, chop into matchstick-size pieces. Next, place a piece of parchment paper on a buttered baking sheet - the butter will keep the parchment stick from moving around when you're placing the parmesan on top. To make the parmesan baskets, sprinkle 1/4 cup of parmesan into the shape of a circle. Repeat 3 more times (to make 4 total bowls). Place in the oven and let melt. Remove from the oven when the parmesan starts to turn slightly golden - approximately 6 minutes. The next part is a little tricky. Place 4 drinking glasses upside down and very carefully invert each parmesan circle over them. Gently mold each basket around the bottom of the glasses and keep them there until they are cool. You have to do this while the parmesan is still warm so it can mold into a basket.

Everything up until this point can be done in advance. 5 minutes before you serve the salad, place a saute pan over medium high heat. Drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil in the pan and let it heat up. Season the shrimp with the salt, pepper, garlic, and cayenne. Saute the shrimp for approximately 2 minutes on each side until done. When you are ready to serve the salad, place the mixed greens in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle the desired amount of vinaigrette on top and toss. Next, place each parmesan basket on a plate and fill with the dressed greens. Place the cherry tomatoes and crispy pancetta on top of the greens. Place equal amounts of shrimp on each salad and serve.

Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

1 head of garlic (with the top cut off)

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 Tbl dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

*It's best to make this several hours before using so that it can fully flavor*

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place the head of garlic in a piece of foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap the garlic with foil and roast for at least 30 minutes. The garlic is ready when it's soft and starting to turn a slight caramel color. Let cool. Remove 5 cloves of garlic by squeezing them out of their skins (this should be very easy if properly roasted). Place those along with the balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard in a blender. Cover and blend. While blending, slowly pour the olive oil in the top of the blender so it emulsifies with the other ingredients. When finished blending, taste the dressing and add your desired amount of salt and pepper. Remember, though, that the flavor of the dressing will develop a lot more over the next few hours, so be careful not to over-season...you can always add more salt and pepper before serving. Refrigerate and enjoy!