Grilled Garlic-Herb Shrimp

Grilled Garlic-Herb Shrimp

Simple puree of fresh herbs, garlic and olive oil does double duty in this recipe. It first coats the uncooked shrimp as a quick marinade. Then, with a splash of lemon juice stirred in, it's drizzled on as a sauce after cooking. One large bunch or “clamshell” container of tarragon should yield the amount of tarragon leaves needed for this recipe. You can serve the shrimp on the skewers with crusty bread and a vegetable side, or slide them off the skewers and add them to grain or leafy green salads.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds extra large shrimp, peeled, devined, and patted dry

1 cup lightly packed fresh basil

1/3 cup lightly packed fresh tarragon

3 medium garlic cloves

1 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper

3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 

Directions:

Thread the shrimp onto eight 8- to 10-inch metal skewers, dividing them evenly; skewer each shrimp in a C shape, piercing through 2 points. Place the skewers on a rimmed baking sheet or in a large baking dish.

In a blender, combine the basil, tarragon, garlic, lemon zest and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Pulse until chopped. Scrape down the sides, add the oil and puree until bright green and almost smooth, about 30 seconds.  Transfer to a small bowl.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. For a charcoal grill, ignite a large chimney filled ¾ full of coals, let burn until lightly ashed over, then distribute the coals evenly over the grill bed; open the bottom grill vents and the lid vent.

Heat the grill, covered, for 5 minutes, then clean and oil the cooking grate. For a gas grill, turn all burners to high and heat, covered, for 15 minutes, then clean and oil the cooking grate.

In another small bowl, stir together ½ cup of the herb puree, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, then slather onto the shrimp, coating both sides. 

Grill the skewers until the shrimp turn opaque and are lightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until the shrimp are just opaque, about another 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the skewers to a serving platter. Stir the lemon juice into the remaining herb puree and drizzle over the shrimp.

TIP:   Don’t forget to pat the shrimp dry before coating them with the herb puree; too much moisture will prevent it from clinging to them.