Grill shrimp skewers with chermoula for dinner tonight

Keep the kitchen cool and cook outdoors this evening with a simple grilled shrimp recipe. Fix a quick batch of chermoula (a North African spice blend combining bright, fresh lemon, garlic, ginger, cilantro, paprika and olive oil), and marinate jumbo shrimp to infuse the flavor (the recipe calls for a couple hours of marinating time, but the flavor infuses in as little as 30 minutes). Skewer the shrimp, grill them for a couple of minutes on each side and you’re set.

GRILLED SHRIMP SKEWERS WITH CHERMOULA

Total time: 30 minutes, plus marinating time | Serves 2 to 4

Note: This recipe calls for bamboo skewers.

CHERMOULA

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

2 teaspoons sweet Spanish paprika

Pinch cayenne powder

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 dried bay leaf, crumbled

Pinch saffron

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Using a mortar and pestle, or in the bowl of a food processor, grind the garlic and ginger to a paste. Add the chopped parsley, cilantro and lemon zest and coarsely mash. Stir in the lemon juice. Stir in the paprika, cayenne, cumin, bay leaf and saffron and grind to incorporate.

2. Slowly pour in the olive oil while blending to form an emulsion, then stir in the salt. Adjust the seasoning as necessary, then cover and refrigerate at least 1 day before using. This makes about 1 cup chermoula.

GRILLED SHRIMP SKEWERS

1 pound cleaned, tail-on jumbo shrimp (12 to 16)

Prepared chermoula, divided

1 large lemon, sliced crosswise into 1/8-inch slices

Oil for the grill

1. Combine the shrimp and one-third cup chermoula in a large nonreactive bowl or resealable plastic bag and marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Ten minutes before removing the shrimp from the refrigerator, soak the bamboo skewers in water to prevent the wood from burning.

2. Remove the shrimp from the marinade and thread with the lemon slices onto the prepared bamboo skewers.

3. Heat the grill over medium-high heat. When the grill is hot, oil the rack and place the skewers on top. Grill the skewers until the shrimp are puffy, pink and opaque, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Serve immediately with the remaining chermoula sauce.

Each of 4 servings: 172 calories; 18 grams protein; 2 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 5 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 168 mg. cholesterol; 218 mg. sodium.

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