Coral Reef Shrimp Citrus Cheese (Print)

Tender pink shrimp paired with bright citrus and melted Gruyère, layered over steamed vegetables for a fresh ocean-inspired plate.

# Components:

→ Seafood

01 - 1.1 lb large pink shrimp, peeled and deveined

→ Citrus

02 - 2 medium oranges, segmented and 1 tsp zest
03 - 1 small pink grapefruit, segmented
04 - Juice of 1 lemon

→ Cheeses

05 - 4 oz Gruyère cheese, grated
06 - 1.7 oz ricotta cheese

→ Vegetables & Garnish

07 - 1 small zucchini, thinly sliced into ribbons
08 - 1 small carrot, julienned
09 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
10 - 1 tbsp fresh dill, torn

→ Pantry

11 - 2 tbsp olive oil
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven broiler (grill) to high.
02 - Toss shrimp with 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl.
03 - Heat a skillet on medium-high and sauté shrimp for 2 minutes per side until just cooked through. Set aside.
04 - In a separate bowl, gently toss orange and grapefruit segments with zest and a pinch of salt.
05 - Steam zucchini ribbons and carrot strips for 1 to 2 minutes until just tender. Arrange on a serving platter to form the coral base.
06 - Nestle the sautéed shrimp and citrus segments among the vegetables, layering to create a colorful coral reef effect.
07 - Sprinkle grated Gruyère evenly over the arrangement and dot with small spoonfuls of ricotta cheese.
08 - Place the platter under the broiler for 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese bubbles and lightly browns.
09 - Remove from the broiler, garnish with chives and dill, drizzle with remaining olive oil, and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The broiled cheese creates this warm, bubbling contrast against cool citrus and tender shrimp that somehow works like a flavor symphony.
  • It looks restaurant-worthy but comes together in under 40 minutes, which means you can impress people without losing your mind.
  • Every component sings on its own, so substitutions never feel like compromises.
02 -
  • The platter must be oven-safe glass or metal, not ceramic, because ceramic can crack under direct broiler heat and ruin everything in seconds.
  • Broilers are unpredictable temperamental machines; 2 minutes in one oven might be 4 in another, so watch it like you actually care because you actually do.
  • Segmenting citrus by hand takes longer but gives you whole, unbruised pieces that hold their shape and juice; a knife cuts cells and they weep all over the platter.
03 -
  • Segment your citrus and prep your vegetables the morning of serving, but don't shrimp or sear anything until you're ready to plate, because cold shrimp on a broiler platter creates texture problems.
  • If you don't have a mandoline for the zucchini, a vegetable peeler creates ribbons just as nice and gives your hands something to do while you wait for the pan to heat.
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