Green Lightning Shrimp

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Last week I made Steven Raichlen’s Green Lightning Shrimp.

The marinade is simple: Cilantro, jalapeños, scallions, garlic, salt, pepper, cumin, olive oil, and fresh lime juice.

Slice the jalapeños and remove the seeds:

For hotter shrimp, leave the seeds in. I removed the seeds and there was still a really good amount of heat.

Coarsely chop the jalapeños, scallions, and garlic:

Put them in a food processor and chop.

I used the chopper attachment of my Viking blender.

Add the cilantro, salt, pepper, cumin, lime juice, and olive oil and puree until everything is combined.

Peel and devein the shrimp and then put them in a zip-top bag.

Pour in the cilantro/jalapeño mixture and marinate for 30 minutes.

Steven Raichlen’s recipe says to marinate the already skewered shrimp, but I don’t have a nonreactive bowl long enough to do that.

And a zip-top bag means less dishes.

Now for the Cilantro and Garlic Butter Sauce:

Melt the butter, sauté the minced garlic, and then toss in the chopped cilantro.

Cook for about 2 minutes and keep it warm until the shrimp are cooked.

Set up your grill for direct cooking and preheat it to high. While your cooker is getting hot, skewer the shrimp.

I like to use double-pronged skewers so the shrimp won’t swing in circles when I try to flip them.

Place the shrimp kebabs on the hot grate and grill until just cooked through, 1 to 3 minutes per side.

Transfer them to a platter:

And pour the Cilantro and Garlic Butter Sauce over them.

Mr. Raichlen suggests basting the shrimp with the butter sauce while you grill them.

Since dripping butter on a hot grill usually creates a flare-up when I’m grilling, I skipped that part and poured it directly over the cooked shrimp.

Steven Raichlen’s Green Lightning Shrimp were a huge hit!

The only thing I’ll change next time is I won’t add the lime juice to the marinade. The acid from the lime broke-down the meat too much and caused it to be a tad mushy.

Instead, I’ll squeeze it over the shrimp after they cook.

This recipe will be perfect for a starter at your next get-together, inside a taco shell topped with avocado, or all by themselves . . .

Just like we did!

You can find the original recipe HERE.