Stay cool: Steam shrimp on grill
When we think of steaming, we generally think stovetop cooking. And during the heat of summer, that can make this very healthy form of cooking seem very unappealing.
But the folks at Cooking Light magazine have come up with a simple way to enjoy a delicious steamed dinner without the fuss (or heat) of indoor cooking. For this deliciously spicy shrimp, black bean and corn dish, they use the grill to get the job done. The results are quick and easy, and you don’t need to heat up your kitchen.
The trick is using heavy duty foil to create a packet in which to cook the food on the grill. By crimping the edges of the packet, the liquid in the food stays inside, turning to steam and cooking the food quickly, while also keeping it moist. And while this recipe calls for doing the entire dish in one large packet, it would be easy enough to create smaller packets and divide the ingredients among them (adjust cooking time if you do).
And this same technique works on other seafood (scallops and haddock would be delicious), as well as chicken.
Grilled Fiesta Shrimp
From “Cooking Light Way to Cook: Grilling,” Oxmoor House, 2012
2 pounds raw peeled large shrimp
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, divided
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Mexican-blend cheese or cheddar cheese
1/2 cup canned whole-kernel corn with sweet peppers, drained
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
15-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups cooked long-grain rice, hot
Heat the grill to medium-high.
Arrange the shrimp in the center of a large piece of heavy duty foil. Drizzle the oil over the shrimp, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the Creole seasoning. Toss to coat. Top the shrimp with the cheese, corn, cilantro and beans. Sprinkle the remaining teaspoon of Creole seasoning over everything. Fold the opposite ends of foil together over the ingredients to form a loose bundle. Crimp to seal.
Place the foil packet on the grill. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, or until the shrimp are done. Serve over hot cooked rice.
Yield: 6 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 391 calories, 8 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 38 grams protein, 40 grams carbohydrate, 238 milligrams cholesterol, 3 grams dietary fiber, 687 milligrams sodium.