Recipe: Alabama Festival Shrimp

the appetizer:

Teen Cuisine by Matthew Locricchio includes recipes like Alabama Festival Shrimp; California-Style Pizza; and Grits and Cheddar Cheese Soufflé.

Alabama Festival Shrimp

Serves 4

Fresh lime and orange juices dress grilled shrimp up in a totally delicious way that is so good that you'll want to make it again and again. Shrimp is America's favorite seafood. In fact there's even a national Shrimp Festival in the heart of Gulf Shores, Alabama. It draws an estimated 300,000 shrimp lovers each year to feast on thousands of pounds of fresh-caught Gulf of Mexico shrimp. Here is an adaptation of one very popular recipe from the festival. Once you try it, you will see why visitors stand in line to taste it. You will need bamboo or metal skewers for the shrimp.

24 large, fresh shell-on shrimp (16/18 count per pound)

Marinade

4 to 5 fresh basil leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
2 sprigs thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
2 to 3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for greasing
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 lime
1 orange
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic

On your mark...

Clean and devein the shrimp. To do this, peel the shrimp and discard the shells. Take one shrimp and lay it flat on a cutting board. Using a paring knife, make a slight cut in the outside curve of the shrimp. You will find a black vein. Remove it by pulling it out while rinsing the shrimp under cold water. Repeat with the rest of the shrimp.

Skewer a shrimp by passing the tip of a bamboo or metal skewer into the thickest part. Make the shape of a tight "c" by then passing the tip of the skewer through the tail. Pull the shrimp to the bottom of the skewer and continue with the next five shrimp. Lay the skewer on a non-aluminum tray. Repeat with the rest of the shrimp.

Cover the shrimp with wax paper and place in the refrigerator.

Get set...

Wash the lime and the orange and dry them.

Using a potato peeler, peel off three slices each of the outer skin of the lime and the orange, being careful not to cut too deeply into the skin. Stack the slices on top of each other and cut them into thin strips. Mince the strips into small dice, measure out 2 tablespoons, and put in the jar of a blender.

Squeeze the juice from the orange, remove and discard any seeds, and pour the juice into the jar of a blender. Cut the lime in half, squeeze out the juice, and add to the blender.

Add the honey and Dijon mustard.

Slightly crush the garlic by laying the flat side of a chefs knife on the clove and pressing firmly to break open the skin. Remove the skin, cut off the root end and discard. Chop the garlic coarsely and add it to the blender.

Wash the basil and parsley, shake off any excess moisture, and dry by rolling in paper towels.

Coarsely chop the basil, thyme, and parsley and add to the blender. If using dried herbs, add them now.

Add the olive oil, then salt and pepper to taste. Blend at high speed for 30 seconds, or until smooth.

Remove the shrimp from the refrigerator and pour the marinade over them. Turn over each skewer so that the marinade evenly covers the shrimp.

Refrigerate for 45 minutes or up to 90 minutes. Set a timer so you don't forget. Remove the skewered shrimp to a clean platter, cover with foil, and refrigerate. Reserve the marinade.