I could eat a salad a day, and throughout the years I pretty much have, even in winter. The ones I make are typically lettuce-based, like Romaine or butter lettuce, and then I add vegetables, avocado or salmon or chicken, maybe cheese, maybe egg, and typically sunflower seeds or nuts.

Fortunately, with the blog, I get to make myself salad recipes that are more unique. I say myself because I’m the only salad eater in my now family of two! Salads obviously can be so much more than lettuce and vegetables. Following are some wonderful examples of non lettuce-based salads. There are endless options.

This salad caught my attention in the book Simple, by Yotam Ottolenghi. And why wouldn’t it? Prawns, corn, and tomatoes – all grilled and served warm with a ginger and lime dressing, which is what set this salad apart for me from other.

Oh, and I finally googled regarding shrimp and prawns. They are a different species! So it’s just a matter of having a trustworthy fish monger.

Grilled Prawn, Corn, and Tomato Salad

Dressing:
3/4 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
1 tablespoon sriracha
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice (I used more)
1 clove garlic (my addition)
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Salt

To make the dressing, mix all of the ingredients together. Set aside. Can be made up to 2 days in advance.

Salad:
15 1/2 ounces tiger prawns, peeled, cleaned tail on or off (I used shrimp)
1 teaspoon olive oil
Salt
1 small red onion, cut into 1/2” wedges
3/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
9 ounces cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon marjoram leaves or oregano (I didn’t use either)

Place a grill pan over high heat and ventilate your kitchen well. Mix the shrimp with the oil and 1/8 teaspoon salt and set aside.

Place the onion on the grill pan for 5 minutes, turning over every so often until charred and cooked but still retaining a bite.

Transfer to a large bowl, then add the corn to the grill pan. Cook for 2 minutes, until charred, then add to the onion.

Continue with the tomatoes, adding them to the grill pan for 3 minutes, turning throughout so that they are charred on all sides. Add to the bowl of onion and corn.

Add the shrimp to the grill pan and grill for 4 minutes, turning after 2 minutes, until the shrimp are charred and cooked through.

Add to the vegetables, along with the marjoram and the dressing. Gently stir to combine and serve.

The dressing is wonderful. I have 1 complaint and 1 suggestion. First, I personally don’t enjoy tomato skins, so I didn’t like the charred tomatoes in this salad. Obviously I’m in the minority. And raw tomatoes wouldn’t work in this grilled salad.

Also, I loved the charred but still crunchy onions. I’d suggest using a large onion in the salad. They really add a lot.

I guess I have another thought. Marjoram in a salad with a ginger lime dressing? No.