Recipe: Grilled Wild Shrimp with Green Mojo

“In Spain you see a lot of green sauces at tapas restaurants. Green mojo is inspired by the Canary Islands,” culinary director Tom Berry says. “It’s a sauce I like to do with shellfish and squid.” Berry recommends using wild shrimp for their quality and flavor.

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Photograph by Nina Gallant

For the shrimp:

2 lb. jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail on, recommended: U15 wild Gulf shrimp
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
½ c. olive oil
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tbsp. pimentón
Bamboo skewers, soaked in water

For the green mojo:

1/3 c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ tbsp. sherry vinegar
2 ½ c. loosely packed cilantro leaves and thin stems
½ medium green bell pepper, stem, seeds, and membrane removed, roughly chopped
½ medium green jalapeño, stem, seeds, and membrane removed
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
¼ tsp. ground cumin
Kosher salt to taste
Lime wedges and cilantro leaves for garnish

Serves 4 to 6

Thread each shrimp on the skewers through the tail and along the length of the body so the shrimp are unfurled and straight. Arrange shrimp in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a small bowl, combine the minced garlic and olive oil; pour the mixture over skewered shrimp. Turn several times to coat, then cover with plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for at least one hour, and up to overnight.

To make the mojo, place the olive oil, vinegar, cilantro, bell pepper, jalapeño, garlic, and cumin into a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and let sit for one to 2 hours.

Set up a coal or gas grill for high direct heat (you should be able to hold your hand just above the grill for only two seconds). In a small bowl, stir a tablespoon of kosher salt and pimentón together, then sprinkle just enough over the shrimp to coat both sides. Cook the shrimp two to three minutes per side, being careful not to burn the skewers.

Serve with green mojo and lime wedges on the side. Chef Juan Pedrosa recommends red-veined sorrel and micro-basil from specialty distributor Sid Wainer & Son for garnish, or you could add extra cilantro leaves.

Above: “Saga” stoneware coaster, $8, Anthropologie. Jonathan’s Spoons cherrywood citrus peeler, $6, Didriks. Below: “Glenna” earthenware dinner plate, $22, “Cocktail Hour” martini glass, $12, and “Saga” stoneware coaster, $8, all Anthropologie. Menu “New Norm” ceramic side plate, $20, Didriks.

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Photograph by Nina Gallant


Check out more recipes for summer entertaining.