Grilled shrimp skewers with roasted red pepper sauce
Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Total time: 1 hour
For the red pepper sauce:
2 large red bell peppers
¾ cup whole toasted almonds (see note)
1 teaspoon pimentón (smoked Spanish paprika)
¼ teaspoon ground cayenne
3 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Lemon wedges, for serving
For the skewers:
1 ½ pounds very small potatoes, unpeeled
3 medium red onions, unpeeled and quartered
Salt
1 ½ to 2 pounds fresh Gulf shrimp, or use frozen Extra-virgin olive oil
1. Prepare a hot charcoal grill. Lay the peppers directly on the grill and let them blister, turning frequently until blackened all over, about 8 minutes. Set aside on a plate until cool enough to handle. (Alternatively, roast peppers on the stovetop, directly on the flames of a gas burner.)
2. Cut the peppers in half lengthwise. Cut off the stems, scrape away skins and seeds, and discard. Do not rinse; a bit of char is OK. Chop the peppers into 2-inch chunks.
3. With a food processor or blender, whirl together peppers, almonds, pimentón, cayenne and garlic to form a rough paste. Season with salt and pepper. Slowly add the olive oil to achieve the consistency of a thick milkshake. Taste, adjust seasoning and transfer to a serving bowl.
4. In a medium saucepan, boil the potatoes in wellsalted water until just done, about 10 minutes. Drain.
5. Place onion pieces on the grill skin-side down. Salt lightly. Cover with lid and cook until onions are soft, about 15 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
6. Place boiled potatoes on grill and cook until slightly charred, 8 to 10 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
7. Meanwhile, thread shrimp onto the skewers, 4 or 5 shrimp per skewer, without crowding. (If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water to prevent burning.) Brush lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
8. Lay skewers on the grill over hot coals. Cook for about 3 minutes, then flip and cook until shrimp turn pink and are a bit charred, 3 minutes more.
9. Arrange shrimp, potatoes and onions on a large platter. Serve with the red pepper sauce and lemon wedges.
Note: To toast almonds, place them in a pie pan in a single layer, and place them in a 400-degree oven. Shake the pan occasionally and bake until almonds are fragrant, crisp and browned, about 10 minutes. To test, cut an almond in half to see that the interior is light brown.