Grilled Shrimp
This recipe is for fixing a delicious open-faced sandwich using grilled shrimp. You can cook the shrimp either inside under the broiler or outside on the grill. You can also serve it other ways, such as over pasta or rice. The important thing here is the marinade, which of course you can modify as you gain experience. Whether you make a sandwich, salad, pasta dish, or BBQ out of it is up to you.
This recipe is enough for 1-2 pounds of shrimp, which will feed about four people, depending on who they are and what else you are serving. Shrimp is sold by the number per pound, with a larger number indicating smaller shrimp. The ones in the photo were labeled 13-15 per pound.
INGREDIENTS
1/8 cup butter (1/4 stick)
1/8 cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon parsley
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
instructions
I used frozen, peeled and deveined, tail-on shrimp. Of course you can use fresh shrimp, and you can also leave the shells on. However, I don’t like to have to peel them at the table unless it’s a beach-type shrimp/crab/lobster boil with rolls of paper towels and beer. Hmmm. Better get that recipe tested soon.
Anyhow, if you need to thaw frozen shrimp, put the bag in the fridge for a few days. If you don’t have time for that, put the bag in a sink full of water and turn it over now and then. They should be thawed enough to handle after a half hour or so. Don’t thaw them under running water, because you’ll wind up tearing them to pieces. Handle them gently.
Melt the butter in the oil and add the other ingredients, modified as you wish. Put the thawed shrimp in a bowl and toss gently to coat with the marinade.
To cook the shrimp indoors, pre-heat the broiler and lay the shrimp on a foil-lined cookie sheet. Place the shrimp 4-5 inches from the broiler. Keep an eye on them — they should be cooked (pink) and browning in spots in about 15 minutes or less, depending on the size of the shrimp and the temperature of the broiler.
To cook them on a grill, you probably should put them on bamboo or metal skewers so you can handle them without them falling through the grill. They will need to cook only about 2-3 minutes per side.
If you want to serve them as shown in the photo, butter a piece of bread (per serving), and place butter side down on a griddle. Chop up some lettuce, cilantro, avocado, and onion. Coarsely chop some tomatoes and marinate them in olive oil and Italian spices (like oregano, basil, and parsley).
Put the salad on the bread with the avocado slices, top with shrimp, and drizzle with blue cheese or ranch dressing. Sprinkle cilantro over. This makes one of the best light suppers I can think of. Serve with wine or beer, if you wish.