Grilled Shrimp Quesadillas

Last Year's Post: healthy white bean dip
Two Years Ago:  chicken quinoa salad with nectarine vinaigrette

Ahhh, summer.  Ideal summer foods are light, simple and tasty.  If they involve grilling, so much the better.  These shrimp quesadillas fit the bill in every way - they involve a grand total of five ingredients (not counting vegetable oil, which really shouldn't count) plus two brief grill visits to create something pretty special and very delicious.

You start by grilling some shrimp and red onion.  While they grill (a total of maybe 10 whole minutes) you could a) sip a glass of wine and enjoy the breeze or b) shred some cheese for the next step.  If you're really good you can do all three at the same time, but stay close to the grill - those shrimp go fast.

When the shrimp and onion are done, the onion is chopped and the shrimp sliced in half to form crescents.  Dump the cheese, onion and shrimp on flour tortillas and grill until pretty, folding partway through.  Serve with your favorite salsa or pico de gallo - just nothing too hot or bold that might overpower the shrimp.

A note about this recipe - it's from Rick Bayless, one of my favorite chefs.  He calls for a young Manchego cheese, which is Spanish.  He probably specifies young cheese because it gets stronger as it ages and again, he doesn't want to overpower the shrimp.  It was very good with Manchego but you could certainly substitute Monterey Jack if you felt like it.  You could also add lobster or crab in addition to the shrimp to make the quesadillas really special.

One quesadilla per person makes a light dinner with a side salad, or you could cut them into small pieces to use as an appetizer or part of a Mexican party table.

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Grilled Shrimp Quesadillas

Makes 6 quesadillas

½ medium red onion, cut into ½-inch rounds 12 ounces peeled and deveined shrimp  ¼ cup vegetable oil, divided 3 cups (about 12 ounces) shredded young Manchego cheese 6 (8-10 inch) flour tortillas Salsa, for serving

Heat a gas grill to medium-high on one side, medium on the other, or light a charcoal fire and let it burn until the charcoal is covered with white ash, then bank the coals to one side. Using an oil mister or pastry brush, oil each onion round on both sides and lay on the hottest side of the grill. Cook, flipping them half way through, until soft and grill-marked, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, then cut into ½-inch pieces.

Place shrimp on skewers for easy cooking.  Oil the shrimp on both sides and lay the hottest side of the grill. Cook, flipping halfway through, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes total. When the shrimp are cool enough to handle, cut them in half through the back making two crescents.

Lay the tortillas on the cooler side of the grill. Top each with about ½ cup of cheese and cook until the cheese starts to melt.  Divide the grilled onion and shrimp among the tortillas. When the cheese is about half melted, fold the tortillas in half, enclosing the filling. Cook the quesadillas until the tortillas are lightly grilled and the filling is warmed through, about 2 minutes per side. Serve with your favorite salsa.

Sicilian Grilled Swordfish

Last Year's Post: Chinese Chicken Salad
Two Years Ago:   Grilled Salmon with Kale and Maple Mustard Vinaigrette



If you like swordfish, you're going to love this recipe.  Relatively thin swordfish steaks are quickly grilled and then soaked in a lemon, olive oil and oregano sauce.  Since they're thin and pierced with a fork before pouring the sauce over the hot fish, the flavor permeates throughout the fish while the sauce keeps it wonderfully moist and tender.  If you can't find thin swordfish steaks, just ask you fishmonger to cut a thick one in half horizontally (or do it yourself).



Because it's easy to overcook swordfish until it becomes dry and tough and particularly if it's thin, I strongly recommend buying an instant thermometer if you don't have one already.  They're invaluable for testing the doneness of meats and poultry in addition to fish.  The new thermometers read the temperature within a second or two after insertion so you don't need to fool with one of those thermometers that stay in the food in your oven or grill and you can quickly test the temperature in multiple spots which is particularly helpful with something like chicken or turkey.



I served the swordfish with an orzo salad on the side with black olives, roasted tomatoes, toasted pine nuts and lemon dressing to continue the Sicilian theme.  Leftovers made a great lunch salad the next day.

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Sicilian Grilled Swordfish

Serves 4

Note: If you can only find thick swordfish steaks have the fishmonger cut them in half horizontally for you.

4 relatively thin (1/2” or so) swordfish steaks, 5-6 ounces each

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

¼ cup olive oil

2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon, cut into quarters

Preheat a grill (or indoor grill pan) to medium-high.

For the sauce, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.  Set aside.

Sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat for 2 minutes on the first side, then flip and turn for another 1-2 minutes until almost cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 120d.  Remove to a flat dish, prick holes in the fish with a fork, and pour the lemon sauce over the fish while it’s hot.  Cover with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 5 minutes to soak up the sauce and finish cooking.

Serve the fish with sauce poured over and a lemon quarter on the side.

Spanish Chicken Salad with Manchego and Smoky Almonds

Last Year's Post:  Spiced Carrot Soup (Hot or Cold)
Two Years Ago:   Baked Falafel

This is a sophisticated salad that's incredibly easy to throw together in the time it takes to toast some almonds.  But there are a few somewhat unusual ingredients that are key:  Manchego cheese, smoked paprika, piquillo peppers and really good sherry vinegar.  Manchego cheese is a Spanish cheese similar to Gruyere that you can find in most good cheese shops.  Smoked paprika can be found in some spice aisles and at Penzeys, my favorite spice store.  Smoked paprika is very Spanish and makes the salad much more interesting so don't be tempted to substitute regular paprika.  Piquillo peppers can be found in most grocery stores next to regular jarred roasted red peppers.  I think they have a brighter and more interesting taste than regular roasted red peppers but if you can't find them, regular roasted peppers would be fine.



And finally, sherry vinegar.  Sherry vinegar is my favorite vinegar ever since I had the opportunity to sample a really good quality one from Spain, and I'll never go back.  Please don't buy one of those little bottles from the grocery store.  Take the time and effort to get a high-quality bottle from your local gourmet store or online - the difference in taste is amazing.  I bought this one online from iGourmet.

Anyway, after you buy the Spanish ingredients it's a very quick salad to assemble because you use precooked deli chicken.  The only cooking you do is to toast the almonds.  Stay nearby and stir frequently while they toast because they can burn fast.

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Spanish Chicken Salad with Manchego and Smoky Almonds

Serves 4

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup sliced almonds

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

Salt and pepper

1 small shallot, minced

2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8 cups salad green, preferably red and green

½ cup drained piquillo peppers from jar, cut into thin strips

4 cups shredded deli chicken meat

1 cup Manchego cheese, cut into cubes or strips

Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add almonds and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and fragrant, about 10 minutes.  Watch closely so they don’t turn too dark.  Transfer almonds to paper towels and sprinkle with smoked paprika and salt.  Let cool.

Whisk shallot, vinegar and oil in a small bowl (or shake in a small jar with lid) to blend.  Season dressing with salt and pepper.  Place salad greens in a large bowl.  Add dressing and toss to coat.  Divide among plates, then top with rows of chicken, peppers, cheese, and almonds.  (Alternately, toss everything together except the almonds and divide between plates, then sprinkle almonds on top.)

Grilled Korean Shrimp

Last Year's Post: Coconut Chicken Fingers
Two Years Ago:   Ravioli with Fresh Corn

If you like Korean food or spicy food in general, you'll love these shrimp.  The sauce gives them big, bold flavor with enough kick to make your lips tingle for a few minutes so be sure to serve them with a nice cold beverage. I particularly like the look of the shrimp and onions after grilling.

They're very quick and easy to make (no marinating) and would be perfect as part of a summer grilling party - serve one or two shrimp with green onions on mini-skewers for each person.  Larger skewers could be served over a big green salad, or with fried rice, or as I did over a tangle of noodles with garlic, olive oil and parsley.

The Lawyer said this picture looks like music.  :-)

The only unusual ingredient is Gochujang, which is a thick, dark red Korean spice paste that's essential to Korean cooking.  At one time I would have hesitated to post a recipe using it, but I recently found it in the Asian section of my local Fry's store so it's getting much easier to find.  If your grocery store doesn't carry it, you can find it at your local Asian market.

One of my favorite parts of the recipe is the green onion - crispy-charred and spicy from the basting sauce, they taste sort of like spicy fried onions.  This is a unique and unusual twist on grilled shrimp that's completely delicious.

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Grilled Korean Shrimp

Serves 4

16 colossal (U10-12) or 20 extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 green onions, trimmed, white and light green part cut into 2 inch lengths

Kosher salt

Gochujang sauce

1/4 cup Gochujang paste (Korean red pepper paste.)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Juice from 1 lemon

1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Wooden skewers, soaked

  

Using 2 skewers side by side, alternately thread on pieces of green onion and shrimp, beginning and ending with green onions. Sprinkle the skewers lightly on both sides with the kosher salt. Whisk the Gochujang sauce ingredients in a small bowl until smooth.

Preheat the grill to medium-high heat (400°F).

Put the skewers on the grill over direct medium-high heat and cook for three minutes. Flip the skewers and baste with the sauce.  Cook for another two minutes, flip the skewers, and baste again. Cook for one more minute. Remove the skewers to a platter, and brush one last time with sauce (or serve with additional leftover sauce on the side).   Serve hot or at room temperature.