Smoked Shrimp Salad

Yield: 6-8 servings

Salad ingredients:

1 1/2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled, deveined and butterflied
2/3-cup smoked tomato vinaigrette
6 cups baby spinach

Vinaigrette ingredients:
12 large plum tomatoes
sherry vinegar, to taste
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tbs. alderwood chips
1/2 head roasted garlic
1/2-cup olive oil

Instructions for vinaigrette:

1. Cut tomatoes in half and place cut side up on smoker rack. Sprinkle exposed sides with sherry vinegar, salt and pepper.
   
2. Smoke for 12-15 minutes on medium low.
   
3. Remove smoker from heat and let rest with lid closed for another three minutes.
   
4. Remove tomatoes from smoker and slip off skins with your hands, holding tomatoes over a food processor work bowl to catch juices. Discard skins.
   
5. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from their skins into food processor work bowl and process mixture for about 30 seconds to combine and puree.
   
6. With processor running, add oil slowly in a thin stream until vinaigrette is emulsified.
   
7. Season vinaigrette with additional salt and pepper, taste and add a few additional drops of sherry vinegar if needed to give vinaigrette a mild tanginess.

Instructions for salad:

1. Place shrimp in stovetop smoker. Season with salt and pepper.
   
2. Smoke on medium heat for 15 minutes, using maple wood chips, and set aside.
   
3. Reserve 1/4-cup and toss remainder with baby spinach in a large bowl.
   
4. Arrange spinach on salad plates, top with shrimp and drizzle shrimp with remaining vinaigrette before serving.

Note: The tomato vinaigrette also makes a great pasta or dipping sauce for kebabs.