Deli-Counter Antipasto Salad with Jammy Eggs and Chilled Shrimp

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A full-meal antipasto built off a single trip to the deli counter: thin-sliced salami and capocollo, cubed provolone, marinated peppers and olives, all tossed with crisp romaine in a red wine vinaigrette sharp enough to cut through the cured pork. Jammy 7-minute eggs and cold poached shrimp turn it from a side salad into dinner, and everything but the eggs and shrimp comes together without turning on the stove.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp brine from the pepperoncini or olive jar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp honey
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

• 4 large eggs, cold from the fridge
• 12 oz large shrimp (21/25), peeled and deveined
• 1 tbsp kosher salt, for the poaching water
• 1 lemon, halved

• 3 oz Genoa salami, thin-sliced
• 3 oz capocollo or hot soppressata, thin-sliced
• 6 oz provolone, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup marinated roasted red peppers, sliced
• 1/2 cup pitted Castelvetrano or Kalamata olives, halved
• 6 whole pepperoncini
• 1/2 cup marinated artichoke hearts, quartered

• 1 large head romaine, chopped into 1-inch ribbons
• 3 cups radicchio or escarole, torn
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 small red onion, shaved paper-thin
• 1 English cucumber, halved and sliced
• 1/3 cup loosely packed basil leaves, torn
• 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan

Instructions

1. Make the vinaigrette first so the garlic and oregano have time to bloom: in a jar, combine the red wine vinegar, pepperoncini brine, Dijon, grated garlic, oregano, honey, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Shake hard, then add the olive oil, seal and shake again for 20 seconds until emulsified. Set aside at room temperature.
2. Drop the shaved red onion into a small bowl of ice water and let it soak for 10 minutes to tame its bite. Drain well and pat dry before using.
3. Bring 3 inches of water to a rolling boil in a saucepan. Lower the cold eggs in with a spoon and boil exactly 7 minutes for jammy yolks (7 minutes 30 seconds at altitude or if your eggs are extra large). Transfer immediately to a bowl of ice water for at least 5 minutes, then peel under a trickle of cold water and halve just before serving.
4. Keep the same pot of water, add the 1 tablespoon kosher salt and squeeze in the lemon halves, then drop them in. Turn the heat down so the water is barely steaming, around 170°F with no bubbles. Add the shrimp and poach 2 to 3 minutes, until they curl into a loose C and are opaque all the way through.
5. Scoop the shrimp straight into the ice water bath for 3 minutes to stop the cooking, then drain and pat completely dry. Chill in the fridge until you assemble; wet shrimp will dilute the dressing.
6. Slice the salami and capocollo into 1/2-inch ribbons (stack 3 or 4 slices and cut across) so the cured pork distributes through every bite instead of clumping.
7. In your largest bowl, combine the romaine, radicchio, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, drained red onion, provolone, roasted peppers, olives, artichokes and the ribboned meats. Shake the vinaigrette again and pour in about three-quarters of it. Toss thoroughly with your hands or tongs for a full 30 seconds, lifting from the bottom.
8. Taste and add more dressing and a pinch of salt only if needed; the salami, olives and provolone bring a lot of salt on their own. Fold in the torn basil.
9. Pile the salad onto a wide platter or into 4 shallow bowls. Arrange the chilled shrimp and halved jammy eggs on top, season the cut yolks with a little salt and pepper, tuck in the whole pepperoncini, and shower everything with the grated Parmesan. Serve right away with any remaining vinaigrette on the side.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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