| Endless Summer
Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Newark, DE Age: 21 Posts: 5,578
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The grill is the glory tool of masculine cooking. When a man steps in front of his Weber, you'd think he'd invented fire instead of just using it to cook a few steaks. But that's what's so great about grilling: The techniques are healthy, the food is sublime, and the credit you receive is as high as the heat. Maybe that's why every country has its own ways of coaxing gems from the coals. From the spicy salsas of South America to the herb-smoked meats of the Middle East, our culinary world tour is delicious proof that there is nothing better (or easier) than taming the flame.
Grilled Shrimp with Cilantro
Time: 20 minutes
Makes 4 servings
There is, in fact, nothing easier to grill than shrimp. They're less risky than even hot dogs. Because they're so lean, they almost never catch fire, and they turn pink when they're done, which is almost always in 5 minutes or so. (For that matter, even if you overcook shrimp, they'll still taste great.) The size of the shrimp doesn't matter much, though bigger shrimp look better and take less effort. (They're also more expensive.) Leave the peels on if you'd like, or be nice to your guests and take them off before grilling. Don't bother to devein the shrimp, though -- that's a waste of time and effort.
Ingredients
2 lb shrimp, peeled or unpeeled
Cilantro Salsa
1 c chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
1 Tbsp peeled and roughly chopped ginger
1 habanero or jalapeņo pepper, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped, or dried red-pepper flakes to taste
1/4 c extra-virgin olive oil, (or corn or canola oil)
Fresh lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste
Grilling instructions
1. Make the Cilantro Salsa. Start a charcoal or gas fire (don't make it too hot), and position the grill rack at least 4 inches from the heat source.
2. Grill the shrimp, turning once, until the shells are too hot to touch or the flesh turns bright pink and browns a bit. Serve immediately with the salsa.
Salsa instructions
1. Combine the cilantro in a blender with the garlic, ginger, hot pepper, and oil. Puree until smooth, adding more oil if necessary and stopping the machine to scrape down the sides as needed.
2. Remove to a bowl, add some salt and pepper, and thin with 1 or 2 tablespoons of lime juice. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve; or cover and refrigerate for up to a day. (Bring back to room temperature before serving.) Makes about 1 cup
Cook's Note: Learn to Salsa
Cilantro salsa is a South American standby made with raw garlic, chilies, lime, and a little oil. And we like a hit of ginger in there, too, for extra spiciness. Remove the cilantro leaves from the stems, and wash the cilantro well before putting it in the blender. This salsa works great on nearly anything you cook on the grill -- steak or chicken, firm white fish, even vegetables. |
