Fire Up The Grill: Spiced Shrimp

July 7, 2012

 

 

How many of y’all are ready to kick Mother Nature’s vindictive butt? I don’t know what the heck pissed her off, but she’s intent on torturing our sweat glands this summer, isn’t she?

That wench needs an attitude adjustment.

Until she decides to chill out, I suggest cooking meals on the grill, mainly because the grill is Man Territory, so it’s not my arse out there sweating, tongs in hand. I’m a schemer like that.

Now before you call me completely evil, understand that this recipe seriously cooks in about six minutes, so your grillmaster will only have to endure one beer’s worth of heat and smoke. That’s not too much to ask, is it?

I’d love to tell you where this recipe came from, but it’s another one of the “out the ass” varieties. What can I say? I was too lazy It was too hot to brave the grocery store, so I just raided the pantry and rummaged through the refrigerator and came up with this recipe.

Served with a simple tomato/avocado salad and some crusty baguette, it made for a nice makeshift supper. The shrimp itself isn’t highly spiced, so feel free to add a dipping sauce; I mixed together some soy sauce, a dash of sesame oil and a little honey. Honestly though, I think teriyaki sauce or satay sauce or even some Sriracha (if you like things racy) would do just fine.

Stay close to your air conditioners, Dear Readers. We’re truly heading into the dog days of summer.  For this family, that means long days at the local swimming pool–the girls swim and dive and play–and I sit in the shallow end, barely covered in chlorine, basking like some spoiled lava lizard.  Until the girls beg me to play sharks and minnows, which of course, is an offer you can’t refuse.

The Minxes are growing so fast that it leaves me breathless. This summer pulsates with bittersweet. Both girls are on the cusp of something; I can feel it in every nerve and bone. Now all I need to figure out is how to keep up (can’t) and hold them as close as my two arms can reach (fleeting).

I hope your summer is full of sunscreen-y hugs and ice-cold lemonade and chlorine-soaked towels. That’s the good stuff.

Spiced Shrimp

serves 6

 

2 pounds shrimp, shelled and deveined, tails left intact

1 cup pineapple juice

3 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

1 teaspoon crushed ginger

1 1/2 tablespoons red or green Thai curry paste

pepper

Mix all ingredients except shrimp in a large bowl with a whisk, until all ingredients are combined. Add shrimp; cover and marinate for 15-20 minutes at room temperature. Thread shrimp onto skewers and grill over medium-high flame for about 3 minutes per side.  Cool slightly on a cutting board and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.

{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }

angelina July 8, 2012 at 4:12 am

Yummy. Your blog could make me give up being a raw food vegetarian. LOL

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Jennifer July 8, 2012 at 8:14 am

Yum. Everyone at our house loves shrimp, and I’m all for letting someone else do the cooking.

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Katybeth July 8, 2012 at 11:42 am

We got a reprieve. . .it’s only 81 in Chicago today and I can breath. Shrimp sound good and spicy and hot are suppose to help cool you down…I don’t why….but my Mom read it in the newspaper so it has to be true.

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TKW July 8, 2012 at 12:41 pm

Katybeth,

It’s true! Some of the hottest climates (India, Ethiopia, Thailand) have the spiciest food. It makes you sweat, which cools you down. :)

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Tina July 8, 2012 at 5:22 pm

I love shrimp in the summer- I’ve never thought to do shrimp w/pineapple juice. We use it to marinate fajita meat. I’ll definitely add some shrimp to the grill next time. Bring on the sriracha or the jalapenos, we like it spicy!

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TKW July 9, 2012 at 6:17 am

Tina,

I love a girl who likes things spicy! :)

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Arnebya July 8, 2012 at 5:36 pm

Oh, boy. My summer is currently filled with me hating my job, taking off when I have no leave, and picking the kids up early because I’ve been home all day (doing shit I could do on the weekend but have decided to do on the day I called in FOR NO DAMN REASON) and THEN chlorine-soaked towels. Anyhoo…yeah. Grilled shrimp’ll hit the spot, especially if it’s not me doing the grilling and our kitchen isn’t being made even hotter than usual (cue sad strings in response to our non-a/c living).

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TKW July 9, 2012 at 6:19 am

Arnebya,

It sounds like you are having quite the summer. It sucks having a job that you hate, but even worse enduring the heat with no a/c!

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suzicate July 8, 2012 at 5:48 pm

Almost every meal this time of year is from the grill…yes, I’m vindictive as well; means my work is minimal!

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Biz July 9, 2012 at 10:42 am

Now that I am back home, I will definitely put that on my menu for me and my SIL’s lunches next week – yum!

Favorite line of the post though? “only have to endure one beer’s worth of heat and smoke.” True!

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Heather July 9, 2012 at 7:43 pm

I love this! We’ve been doing up a bunch of the shrimp this summer too. It’s the only thing that cooks fast enough to keep you from wasting away while you wait! We too are soaking up the chlorine and curling up in the a/c with a good book. It’s been a summer of fun and memories despite the insane heat.

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Tinne from Tantrums and Tomatoes July 10, 2012 at 4:47 am

I’m quite envious of your dog days of summer. Send them over will you. As for the pool : I don’t play shark, but I do a mean crocodile.

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TKW July 10, 2012 at 6:22 am

Tinne,

I do believe the girls would love crocodile.

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Velva July 10, 2012 at 6:58 am

I can relate to the heat…UGH. I am not sure when it became okay to be triple digits in June….Now, its July and it is standard temps.

You have been fed a double whammy with raging fires and triple digits.
Stay cool.

Velva

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Contemporary Troubadour July 10, 2012 at 1:51 pm

Those shrimp look GORGEOUS. I’m on shellfish restriction at the moment, which blows, but I will willingly stare at that beautiful picture and imagine what those beauties taste like. On a related note, I’ve recently discovered the awesomeness of cinnamon in spice rubs for grilled/roasted meats — once we acquire a new grill, I’ll be taking advantage of the flavor more often!

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TKW July 10, 2012 at 2:32 pm

CT,

They still haven’t found out what’s going on with you? God, you must be so mad. I’m mad just thinking about it. Love you.

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Jane July 10, 2012 at 3:29 pm

Awww, man! I hate it when you post yummy shrimp recipes. I sit here, envious, drooling, scheming on a way to make it anyway. Sigh. But hubs doesn’t eat shrimp. And he’s not going out of town any time soon. Hmmm. I may just have to kick him out of the house.

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Robin July 11, 2012 at 1:35 pm

This sounds delicious, and I could use a little variety in my boring menus. Alas, we have no grill, having just moved from the city condo to the burbs. But if it means my husband (and his arse) will be cooking, I am running out to buy one pronto. Plus, he loves seafood (motivator, as if fire alone isn’t enough)!

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Justine July 11, 2012 at 8:13 pm

After a lackluster dinner, I find myself wanting to lunge into the screen for some of that delectable looking shrimp. Good thing Little Miss isn’t here. I’d have to fight her for it.

We’re also on to our fourth tube of sunscreen this summer, which I think is a great testament to just what a lovely season this had been for us.

Enjoy yours my friend!

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CK July 16, 2012 at 3:40 am

…sunscreen-y hugs and ice-cold lemonade and chlorine-soaked towels….

You’re right. That really is the good stuff

(And I’m totally making that shrimp, even though I’ll be the one over the grill. But I’ll also be the one with the drink, so I think it’ll be okay.)

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Zebra Zoologist July 16, 2012 at 5:10 pm

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Tiffany July 18, 2012 at 5:13 am

This sounds perfect for the 100+ degree heat we’re having here. And it’s so freaking humid you could die.

And the minxes and the feelings you’re having? Me too. I can actually see mine as teenagers now and leaving me in the dust. I’m holding them tight this summer. So tight.

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