Grill/Barbecue

Spiced and Grilled Shrimp and Beans

by:
October  4, 2022
0
0 Ratings
  • Serves 2-3
Author Notes

Once the evenings remain even vaguely warm, I love to fire up the grill and cook dinner outside. Last night I was in the mood for shrimp and barbecue so I decided to make a marinade that’d be equally good on chicken or beef (future BBQ plans) and, because what’s a good barbecue without beans, grill some beans too. Garbanzos have the perfect degree of firmness to hold up atop a fire so I chose those rather than white beans (too fragile), red beans (too “beefy”) or black beans (more Mex than my marinade was). These turned out deliciously well. You’ll need 1-2 grill baskets lined with foil, and start this recipe an hour or so before you'll grill as the shrimp need to marinate. —em-i-lis

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Ingredients
  • juice of 1/2 an orange (about 2 generous tablespoons)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1.5 – 2 limes depending on juiciness and size)
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoons chimayo chile powder (or something similarly hot and smoky)
  • 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 1 star anise, gently crumbled
  • 4 black peppercorns
  • pounds raw, shell-on shrimp, de-headed
  • 1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, preferably organic
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small chunks
  • 1-2 2-3" rounds of slivered pancetta, optional
Directions
  1. Wash your shrimp, removing any loose bits of tail or shell, and set aside in a colander to drain.
  2. In a mixing bowl large enough to hold all the shrimp, whisk together the orange and lime juices, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, the olive oil, honey, chile powder and garlic. Using a mortar and pestle or a coarse-grind spice grinder, grind the cloves, star anise pieces and peppercorns into the marinade and whisk everything well to combine.
  3. Add the drained shrimp (shells on) to the marinade, toss so that all the shrimp are well covered in marinade, cover and refrigerate 30-60 minutes, tossing occasionally.
  4. About 20 minutes before you’re going to grill the shrimp, set your grill (I use a gas grill) to high to preheat. If you have a smoker box, fill it with hickory chips and set in your grill. Line two grilling baskets with foil and set aside.
  5. Drain and rinse well the garbanzo beans, removing as much excess canning liquid and water as possible. Pour into one of your lined grill baskets and sprinkle with the remaining teaspoon of kosher salt and the brown sugar. Dot with the butter and set aside.
  6. When the grill is hot, pour the shrimp and their marinade into your second foil-lined grill basket. If you want to add in the pancetta, do so here by placing the rounds in the second basket before pouring the shrimp and marinade on top. Put both baskets on the grill, close the top, turn the heat down to medium-high and cook 7-8 minutes.
  7. Carefully spoon the beans and shrimp onto a serving platter and drizzle generously with the shrimp marinade. Pour all extra marinade into a small serving bowl and bring to the table for additional drizzling or dip good, hot French bread into it!
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6 Reviews

Bevi May 4, 2013
I love shrimp on the grill! They sound delicious.
em-i-lis May 6, 2013
thank you bevi!!
lapadia May 4, 2013
Beautiful spice combo, and garbanzo are my favorite, wished I lived across the street :)!
em-i-lis May 6, 2013
me too! :)
boulangere May 4, 2013
Oh, my! That marinade is positively intoxicating, as is the entire ensemble. I wish you were my next-door-neighbor!
em-i-lis May 4, 2013
and i wish you were mine!!!
thanks, cyn.