GRILLED JALAPEÑO AND LIME SHRIMP SKEWERS
Servings: 4 MARINADE:
1-2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon grated lime zest plus 5 tablespoons juice (3 limes)
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt SHRIMP:
1½ pounds extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
½ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro Process all marinade ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 15 seconds. Reserve 2 tablespoons marinade; transfer remaining marinade to medium bowl.
Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. To butterfly shrimp, use paring knife to make shallow cut down outside curve of shrimp. Add shrimp to bowl with marinade and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.
For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
For a gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave all burners on high.
Thread marinated shrimp onto four 14-inch metal skewers. (Alternate direction of each shrimp as you pack them tightly on skewer to allow about a dozen shrimp to fit snugly on each skewer.) Sprinkle 1 side of skewered shrimp with sugar. Place shrimp skewers sugared side down on hotter side of grill (covered if using gas) and cook until lightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip skewers and move to cooler side of grill (if using charcoal) or turn all burners off (if using gas) and cook, covered, until other side of shrimp is no longer translucent, 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, slide shrimp into clean medium bowl and toss with reserved marinade. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.
PER SERVING: 211 calories; 91 calories from fat; 10 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 214 mg cholesterol; 1,110 mg sodium; 6 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 1 g sugar; 24 g protein.