Red Pepper Marinated Marinated Shrimp, Charred Heirloom Cherry Tomatoes, Radish, Red Onion, & Avocado Cream
Prep Time: 20 mins. Cook Time: 30 mins. Serves: 2
This recipe is a great light appetizer for your next outdoor get together. The light heat from the crushed red pepper on the shrimp is balanced out by the refreshing flavors in the avocado cream. The char on the tomatoes also gives them a nice smoky flavor that lends some depth.
When purchasing your shrimp at the store for this recipe remember; size matters. Shrimp are sold by the pound, and are labeled by an approximation of how many shrimp (shell included) are in that pound. 16/20 shrimp for example (the kind called for in this recipe) contain between 16-20 shrimp per pound. You can of course get larger shrimp should you desire, but smaller wouldn’t lend themselves well to this application.
Marinate the shrimp in garlic, crushed red pepper, basil, and olive oil for at least 30 minutes before sauteing, this will ensure they have absorbed enough flavor. For the avocado cream, make sure to select ripe avocados that are still a nice bright green. Under ripe avocados can be placed in a paper bag on the counter to speed the ripening a little.
Ingredients:
Shrimp
- 8 raw 16/20 shrimp; shelled and cleaned
- ½ cup heirloom cherry tomatoes; halved
- 2 radish; shaved
- ⅓ cup red onion; shaved
- 2 tbsp crushed red pepper
- 2 clove garlic; finely chopped
- 2 tbsp basil; finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt & pepper to taste
Avocado Cream
- 2 ripe avocados; pitted, peeled
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp basil; finely chopped
- Salt & pepper to taste
Method:
Place a large saute pan over medium heat and add marinated shrimp. Cook the shrimp, tossing occasionally, until the shrimp are bright red and cooked through (approx. 10 mins). Place shrimp on a paper towel lined plate and reserve.
Process avocados, sour cream, vinegar, oil, 2 tablespoons basil in a food processor until mixture is very smooth, light, and thick. Season with salt.
For the tomatoes; place the halved tomatoes cut side down on a sheet tray. Using a butane food torch, char the skins of the tomatoes. If you don’t have a torch, you can also use a heavy skillet. Heat the skillet over high heat until smoking, then add the tomatoes skin side down until they become charred.
Plate your avocado cream before stacking your shrimp and garnishing with the charred tomatoes, radish, and shaved onion.