Make This ‘Chopped’ Champion’s July 4 Feast
From shaved zucchini salad to shrimp ceviche and a watermelon gazpacho, Adam Greenberg, recently crowned ‘Chopped Champions’ champion, serves up a trio of delicious holiday dishes.
Courtesy of Adam Greenberg
Shaved Zucchini Salad
3½ oz. shaved zucchini 1/8 tsp Kosher salt ¼ cup parsley leaves, torn 1 tbsp mint leaves, torn ¼ tsp lemon juice 1 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil 1 tbsp chopped almonds Pimentón
1. Use a vegetable peeler to shave thin slices of zucchini. Shave down to the seed core, but do not use this part. Zucchini can be shaved just before service and held through service.
2. Toss shaved zucchini with salt, parsley and mint. Let sit for 10-15 seconds. You will see the zucchini starting to “perspire.”
3. Add lemon juice, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, and chopped almonds. Toss together gently.
4. Plate salad, drizzle lightly with Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 1-2 shakes of Pimentón.
Shrimp Ceviche Per Portion Ingredients
6oz. diced peeled shrimp, 3/8-in dice 2oz. lime juice
2oz. lemon juice
1oz. grapefruit juice
¼ avocado, diced ½ tsp lime juice for avocado
1 tbsp Soy sauce (I like to use low sodium, less salty--can control salt with Kosher salt) ¼oz thinly sliced red onion 1½ tbsp chopped cilantro Cayenne, garnish
1½ tbsp Kosher salt
Ceviche Veg Per Portion 1 tsp minced red onion
½ tsp brunoise jalapeño (no seed)
½tsp brunoise yellow bells
Method 1. Toss the avocado with the lime juice and season with a pinch of salt and cayenne. Place in bottom of salad bowl.
2. Combine Shrimp, citrus juice, veg mix(recipe above) and cilantro. Mix together. 3. Arrange ceviche on top of avocado, pouring over remaining liquid. 4. Mix together thinly sliced red onion and remaining ½ TBSP cilantro and pile high on top of fish. NOTE: It is important that the onions are VERY thinly sliced, lengthwise! 6. Finish with a sprinkle of cayenne. Serve.
Adam Greenberg's Watermelon Gazpacho
Ingredients: ½ ripe seedless watermelon, only flesh of watermelon, not the white rind, plus more for garnish ½ Spanish onion, coarsely chopped ½ jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped (optional, but recommended if you like a spicy kick; don’t worry, the watermelon will cool you down) ½ bunch cilantro 4 piquillo peppers or 2 roasted red bell peppers ½ English cucumber, peeled and chopped 3 ripe tomatoes, cored and seeded ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil 3oz. sherry vinegar
Kosher salt, to taste
1 tbsp smoked sweet paprika
Place all the ingredients in a blender or use a wand emersion blender. place all ingredients in a bowl and purée on high until everything is well blended.
Ladle into chilled or frozen bowls, and garnish each serving with a confetti of diced watermelon, cucumber and tomato. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil over it to finish.
Always optional to add croutons if you like some texture.
This recipe doesn’t use bread, which is sort of sacrilegious when it comes to gazpacho, but with all the gluten-free eaters out there, I thought this would be a nice recipe for them to enjoy.
Adam Greenberg is Executive Chef, Barcelona Wine Bar & Restaurant 14th St, Washington, D.C. He has won a double victory on Food Network’s Chopped series—first in February 2015, and once again in April 2016, where he was crowned the winner of the Chopped Champions series, which brought together 16 winners from past seasons.