Ginger-Mint Grilled Shrimp

By Ali Slagle

YIELD 4 servings

TIME 15 minutes, plus grill heating

For snappy, well-browned shrimp from the grill, follow just a few simple steps: Make sure they’re very dry. (You can even let them air-dry in the fridge
overnight.) Get your grill very hot, then cook the shrimp for longer on the first side to minimize overcooking. While you can use a heated grill basket, you don’t
need to; leaving the tails on means the shrimp won’t slip through the grates. (By the way, eat those tails. They’re a delicious, crispy bite.) Well-grilled shrimp
need just a little brightness to balance their char: A squeeze of lemon or lime, or this herby-spicy mixture of ginger, mint and lime zest made in the style of
gremolata (https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1013644-asparagus-with-gremolata-lemon-and-olive-oil), will do the trick.

INGREDIENTS PREPARATION

1 ½
pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined, Step 1
tails on Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for two-zone cooking over high heat: For a charcoal grill, pour the
Kosher salt coals onto one half of the grill. For a gas grill, heat all the burners, then turn off one of the end
burners. (See Tips.)
Olive oil
1
(1/2-inch) piece ginger, peeled Step 2
1
cup firmly packed mint leaves Meanwhile, pat the shrimp dry, then transfer to a medium bowl and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons
1
small lime salt and lightly coat with olive oil. Set aside. Coarsely chop the ginger, then add the mint and a
pinch of salt. Finely chop the ginger and mint together until homogenous. Transfer to a small
bowl, finely grate 1/2 teaspoon lime zest into the bowl, and mix to combine. Cut the lime into
wedges for serving.

Step 3
When you're ready to grill, take the shrimp, mint-ginger mixture, lime wedges, a tightly folded
paper towel soaked in olive oil, a serving platter and tongs to the grill. Clean the grates with a
grill brush, then oil the grates with the paper towel. Add the shrimp perpendicular to the grates
over the flame and cook until well browned, about 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until opaque
throughout, 1 to 2 minutes. (See Tips.)

Step 4
Transfer the shrimp to the platter and toss with the mint-ginger mixture and a squeeze of lime.

Tips
High is above 450 degrees. You should be able to hold your hand 4 to 5 inches above the grates
for 2 to 3 seconds.
If flare-ups occur, move the chicken to an area of the grill where there are no flames underneath.
For a gas grill, close the lid between flips, listening and keeping an eye out for flare-ups.

PRIVATE NOTES

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