If you are familiar with us gather & be girls, you know how we love a good party. Cinco de Mayo is coming up, and we are not going to let this pandemic rain on our fiesta! These days there’s little to look forward to short term, so we’ll sign up for anything that gives us an excuse to roll up our sleeves and get busy in the kitchen, whilst swinging our hips to some Latin music.
It’s no secret that we love to serve food on pretty plates, and this Cinco de Mayo, we've teamed up with Villeroy & Boch to show off their gorgeous Lave Bleu and Lave Gris lines. We’re serving a Shrimp Taco Salad, you know, because of #quaranteating and all. This may be lighter fare than the usual taco, but we assure you it’s bursting with flavor. It’s got the punch of chipotle, the fresh zing of lime, and a creamy dressing to tie it all together. We like to serve it in this baked taco shell bowl, which is, incidentally, also delicious! We’re not stopping there -- we’re taking classic cornbread south of the border, with street corn seasoning and some jalapeño heat. Are you ready for this? If you are, find that recipe here.
To serve, we adore these Lave Bleu and Lave Gris collections. Blues and grays are the new white as far as tableware goes, in our humble opinions. These stoneware plates are hand-glazed and their slightly speckled optic adds depth and interest to any dish. The organic shape adds another level of intrigue, and makes it the perfect backdrop for this colorful feast. Click here to add these plates to your collection!
So let’s get this party started already! We’ve got great food, pretty plates and good spirits. Whether it’s just you or you and your family, everyone could use a little fiesta! Salud!
xoxo Donata & Kirsty
Ingredients for 4 Taco Bowl Salads
There are a few components to this salad, but they are easy to prepare and can be made ahead!
To shape the taco shell bowls:
4 large (8"/20cm) soft tortillas
2 teaspoons vegetable oil or oil spray
Preheat the oven to 375F (190C).
Brush, or spray oil onto both sides of each tortilla. Drape a tortilla over an upside-down oven-proof bowl. You may have to do this in batches, depending on how many bowls you have. We used bowls that were 4"/10cm in diameter. The height will determine how deep the taco bowl is. Form the tortilla around the bowl with your hands (see photo below). Bake for 8-10 minutes (keep an eye on it after 8 minutes) until the edges are brown and the tortilla is no longer soft.
Cool on a wire rack. Can be made a day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Taco Bowl Salad Dressing:
1 cup sour cream (or 1/2 sour cream 1/2 greek yogurt for a lighter dressing)
zest of 1 lime, finely grated
3 tablespoons (45ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons (30ml) water
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1-2 teaspoons hot sauce - we love Cholula. If you're using Tabasco, start with 1/4 teaspoon and taste.
Combine all ingredients, cover, and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Taste for seasoning before serving. Can be made a day ahead.
Quick Pickled Red Onions:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 red onion, thinly sliced
Combine the vinegar, sugar and salt. Stir until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the sliced onion and refrigerate until needed. Keeps for up to a week in the fridge
Spicy Shrimp:
1 lb. (450g) raw, deveined and peeled shrimp
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
zest of 1 lime
Preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
Rinse and pat dry the shrimp. Place them in a roasting tin. Drizzle over the oil, then sprinkle over the cumin, oregano, garlic, onion and chipotle chili. Toss to make sure everything is well coated.
Roast for 6 minutes total, turning halfway. Remove from the oven, sprinkle over the salt and lime zest, toss to combine. You can serve them hot or cold. If cold, refrigerate them until you're ready to serve them. This can be made a few hours ahead.
To assemble the salad you'll also need the following:
1 bag of leafy spring greens
1/8 red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 avocado, sliced
Place each taco bowl on a plate. Add a handful of leafy greens and red cabbage. Dot with avocado slices and divide the roasted shrimp amongst the bowls. Top with pickled onions, and drizzle with dressing, serving extra on the side.
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