Raiding the freezer: grilled prawn (or shrimp) and bean salad

Annalena has said this before, and she will say it again:  pity the cook during the summer.  Even when the food is raw, and even if it's cold when you eat it, SOMEONE  was in the kitchen, with fire, in the heat, making it.  Many of the dishes that we enjoy in their cold form, do have to be cooked.  Do be a bit of a witch for a minute:  that cold fried chicken didn't fry itself.  Nor did that luscious, cooling vitello tonato braise itself.  And the list goes on.  Cooking is work , ragazzi, even if it is as simple as chopping up vegetables to make a salad:  someone did it for you.  So if someone is making  your food,  Annalena insists that you go and give them a great big hug, a great big kiss, and say "thank you"  RIGHT NOW.  As MFK Fisher put it  "not now, but NOW."

And so we come to this recipe.  When Annalena and the Guyman went out for lunch on their anniversary, they asked their chef friend Melissa L to cook for them.  And she did.  And one of the things she sent to the table was a warm salad of grilled shrimp, chickpeas and vegetables.

To say it was good, understates things.  And yes, Annalena thanked her profusely.  And then she went home and thought "that was a really good idea."  And she needed one, because Sunday was haircut day, which meant Annalena was getting a late start on things, and she also did not want to be in the kitchen for a tremendous period of time.

Melissa L's idea turned the trick.  And here is how Annalena did it.

First, she presumes that you are cooking beans from time to time, and you are freezing the leftovers.  Ragazzi, you really must start doing this.  They are lifesavers.  So, get a cup or so of frozen white beans out of your freezer (if you don't have them, get to work.  This is NOT going to be good with the canned stuff).

Let them defrost, or just run hot water over them, and melt the ice.  You don't need anything fancy.

You need as well, a pound of medium sized shrimps or prawns.  Shell them.  You won't have nearly as much left, and that's ok. Put the shelled crustaceans into a bowl, and toss them with a few tablespoons of olive oil, the juice of half a lemon and a bit of a teaspoon of salt.  You will be using more salt in the dressing.

Get out your ridged grill pan, and brush some olive oil over that.  While it's heating,  get a small head of lettuce washed and dried.  Again, you could do this ahead of time.    In fact, you should, if you can.

When the grill pan is hot, put the shrimp/prawns on it.  You will have about 20 of them, and by the time you have the 20th one down, it will be time to turn the first one.  And by the time you turn the 20th one, it will be time to take them all of the pan and toss them into a bowl, with the beans.  Let that sit, while you make your dressing.

Remember that half of a lemon we used?  Well, we don't waste things in Annalena's kitchen.  Squeeze the other half of it into a bowl, and toss in a teaspoon of salt.  Get about a half cup of olive oil, and whisk like a madperson, until you have an emulsion.

As Nadia G says  "let's plate this dish." Put a serving of the lettuce leaves on a plate, then a nice amount of the beans and shrimp.  And now, pour dressing over it.  Be generous.    If you are in a herbaceous mood, some fresh herbs are nice.

VOILA.  Summer lunch, done, without much trouble.  And remember, you cooks:  let someone else wash up.  And if they hugged, kissed and thanked you, do the same.