Shrimp Scampi Day – Not!

Okay, so it’s National Shrimp Scampi Day. If you were expecting yet another Scampi Recips, sorry to disappoint. As many of you know by now, the family took an amazing Cruise Vacation. Since we visited both Hawaii and Mexico, I’m in the mood for some Tropical Heat.

When Hubby saw this on the menu, he remained quiet about his thoughts. That’s a good thing – had he said he really didn’t think he’d like it, I might have scraped the recipe entirely. When we sat down to dinner, a few bites in and he smiled, gave me a thumbs up. See, you never know until you try it. There’s the sweetness of the pineapple, the crunch of the bell peppers and the heat from the Serrano. That’s a winning combination.

While this dish might not be Shrimp Scampi, it does contain shrimp in the leading roll, so that should count for something, right? Besides, it’s so nice outside, it seems perfect for grilling. A little time to marinade, a few minutes on the back yard grill and we’ve got an amazingly quick spper that is perfect for any day of the week. Enjoy!

Grilled Shrimp with Tropical Yucatan Salsa
Yucatan Salsa
1 large Pineapple
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Orange Bell Pepper
1 small Red Onions
3 tablespoons Cilantro
2 tablespoons Parsley
2 Serrano Pepper
1/4 cup Vegetable Oil
2 tablespoons Lime Juice
Salt to taste
White Pepper to taste

Core, peel and finely dice the fresh pineapple. Core, seed and dice the bell peppers. Peel and dice onion. Snip parsley. Stem and dice Serrano. In a glass bowl combine along with the oil and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover salsa, refrigerate for 1 hour for flavors to marry. Now would be a good time to soak 6 bamboo skewers in water.

Note: When I went to get my bamboo skewers, I realized there weren’t any. Immediate panic. Then I looked in our barbecue bin – still in the box, never been used – yeah, this will work.

Grilled Shrimp
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
2 tablespoons Spicy Olive Oil (Habanero or Jalapeno)
4 tablespoons Lime Juice
Pinch Cayenne Pepper
30 medium raw Shrimp
6 Flour Tortillas, taco size

Prepare barbecue for high heat. While the grill heats, combine oils, lime juice and Cayenne Pepper in a small glass bowl.

Peel, devein and remove tails from the shrimp. Thread 5 shrimp on each of six skewers. Brush shrimp with the oil mixture. Grill shrimp over direct heat until opaque, about 90 seconds per side. Grill tortillas on each side for 30 seconds to warm.

Serve on a platter of grilled shrimp and warm tortillas. Fill each tortilla with 5 shrimp; topped with salsa and enjoy. Great with Mexican Rice and Spicy Refried Black Beans. Don’t forget the Mango Margaritas!

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Not to us, O Lord, not to us
but to Your name give glory
because of Your mercy, because of Your truth.