Barbecue Shrimp with Charred Corn Salad

Barbecue Shrimp with Charred Corn Salad

With the holiday season upon us, I like to make simple recipes throughout the long weekend that allow me to enjoy entertaining without a lot of fuss. This recipe is easy and doesn’t require a lot of effort. I make the barbecue sauce and the shallot vinaigrette the day before. I also buy the largest shrimp I can find that have been deveined. On the day I plan to serve this recipe, I just have to shelled and skewer the shrimp and shuck the corn. Large shrimp on a single skewer will rotate when flipped over so the best way to keep that from happening is to use two skewers for each row of shrimp. I included a picture of what that looks like so you can better understand what I am talking about. This barbecue sauce is not a Tex-Mex style with chili powder in it. It is more like a Southern style that has a soft kick to it. Barbecue and corn is such a summer tradition!

Charred Corn Salad

2 ears of corn

2 ½ oz of baby arugula

Shallot vinaigrette (recipe below)

½ c ricotta salata, grated

Fresh ground black pepper

Light a charcoal grill. When the charcoal is a light grey they are ready. Shuck the ears of corn then brush with olive oil then salt and pepper. Grill the corn over direct heat until charred. Move to the side over indirect heat and let it roast for about 5 minutes or until done. Remove the corn from the grill and let cool. Cut the kernels from the cobs. Toss the arugula with enough shallot vinaigrette to coat. Stir in the corn kernels and top with the ricotta salata and freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

Shallot Salad Vinaigrette

1 T shallots, minced

1 t Dijon mustard

1 t mayonnaise

3 T fruity olive oil

2 T white wine vinegar

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Kosher salt to taste

Barbecue Shrimp

½ c ketchup

3 T yellow mustard

2 T cider vinegar

2 T brown sugar

1 t Worcestershire sauce

1 ½ t molasses

¼ t red pepper flakes or to taste

½ t garlic powder

½ t onion powder

½ t kosher salt or to taste

32 extra large shrimp, deveined

 In a small saucepan over medium heat add all the ingredients except the shrimp and whisk together well. Bring the sauce to a soft boil and turn down the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes until the flavors have time to meld together. Remove from heat. If using the next day refrigerate overnight. Peel the shrimp including removal of the tail. Using two skewers pierce about 6 shrimp together. Repeat until all the shrimp have been skewered. Brush the shrimp with olive oil then salt and pepper them. Grill the shrimp over direct heat until they start to turn pink about 1 minute. Turn the shrimp over and brush with the barbecue sauce. Keep turning and coating with the sauce until done about 3 times. Take them off from the grill and remove the skewers. Serve immediately with the charred corn salad.

Serves 4