Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Grilled Southern Shrimp Burgers

Grilled Southern Shrimp Burgers
A good shrimp burger should be first and foremost about the shrimp. This recipe features a moist yet still cohesive patty, and seasoning that complements the sweet shrimp flavor without overpowering it.  Keep the seasonings simple: minced scallion and parsley, as well as lemon zest
Makes 4 Burgers

Be sure to use raw, not cooked, shrimp here. Dry the shrimp thoroughly before processing, or the burgers will be mushy. Handle the burgers gently when shaping and grilling; if overhandled while being shaped, the burgers will be dense and rubbery, and if handled roughly during cooking, they will break apart. Serve with tartar sauce.


Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined,  
    and patted dry
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 scallions, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons grated fresh lemon zest
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 slice hearty white sandwich bread, torn into large 
   pieces and pulsed in a food processor to coarse 
   crumbs
*
Directions:
1. Pulse the shrimp in a food processor until some pieces are finely minced and others are coarsely chopped, about 7 pulses. Transfer the shrimp to a large bowl.

2. Combine the mayonnaise, scallions, parsley, lemon zest, cayenne, salt, and pepper in a large bowl until uniform, then gently fold into the processed shrimp until just combined. Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the mixture and gently fold until incorporated.

3. Scrape the shrimp mixture onto a small baking sheet, divide it into 4 equal portions, and loosely pack each into a 1-inch-thick patty. Cover and refrigerate the patties for at least 30 minutes, or up to 3 hours.

4A. FOR A CHARCOAL GRILL: Open the bottom grill vents completely. Light a large chimney starter three-quarters full with charcoal briquettes (75 briquettes; 4 1/2 quarts). When the coals are hot, pour them in an even layer over the grill. Set the cooking grate in place, cover, and heat the grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

4B. FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all the burners to high, cover, and heat the grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Turn all the burners to medium-high. (Adjust the burners as needed to maintain a medium-hot fire).

5. Clean and oil the cooking grate. Lightly brush the tops of the burgers with oil, lay them on the grill, oiled side down, and lightly brush the other side with oil. Cook the burgers, without pressing on them, until lightly browned and cooked through, 10 to 14 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Transfer the burgers to a platter, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

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