Texas is noted for great cooking that includes the spicy flavors of the Southwest and the shrimp fresh from the Gulf.  This recipe combines   the two great flavors the the traditional method of smoking to bring out the best of the flavors.

Dipping Sauce

1 Cup Cider Vinegar

1 Cup Brown Sugar

3/4 Cup chopped roasted mild green chiles

1 Medium Onion, minced

6 Ounces fresh tomatillos, husked and finely chopped

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients together in heavy sauce pan .  Simmer sauce over medium heat about 30 minutes until thickened and cooked down. Serve warm or chilled.  If it becomes to thick after cooking add a small amount of water to thin.

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Shrimp:

3/4  Pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

Batter:

1 Cup all purpose flour

1/4 Cup masa  harina (Masa harina is lime processed corn flour found in the Mexican section of the grocery store.  Look for tamala grind or coarse grind as it makes a crunchier nugget.)

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/2  teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sugar

3/4 Cup corn kernels, either fresh or frozen

3 tablespoons minced onion

8 Ounces beer

1 egg

Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation:

Heat smoker to smoker’s required temperature.

Toss, shrimp with oil, garlic, and  chili powders , salt and pepper.  Let marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes.

Transfer shrimp to a small grill rack, basket or heavy duty tin foil. Smoke until shrimp is just cooked through and barely firm usually about 10-20 minutes at about 225 to 250 degrees.

Cool the shrimp enough to finely chop by hand and reserve shrimp.

Using a large bowl mix together batter ingredients and fold in shrimp.

In large heavy sauce pan or Dutch oven, heat several inches of oil to 350 degrees.  Gently drop rounded teaspoons of batter into oil a few at a time.  Do not overcrowd.  Fry nuggets until  crisp and golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Drain nuggets.

Serve hot with dipping  sauce.

Yield: 2 to 2 1/2 dozen nuggets.

This Southwest recipe delights the senses with a just right spicy taste and brings together a delicious combination that you will want to serve again and again to your friends.

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Simple Grilled Shrimp – that ROCKS!

• 1-2 ponds of peeled, deveined, cleaned shrimp
• Drizzle olive oil over shrimp
• Sprinkle Old Bay seasoning and rub into to shrimp.
• Place shrimp on skewers for ease of flipping on grill.
• Put shrimp on HOT grill for 1 minute on first side. Flip and cook two or three minutes on other side.
• Adjust cooking times for size of shrimp and your preferences.

The idea is to have nice, translucent / white shrimp when you are finished. It’s fast, delicious and healthy. Everything a meal should be. Serve with some crusty bread and a nice salad for a quick meal that is as good for you as it is delicious. Take this simple idea and try a million variations on the theme.

Here are some ideas to get you started…

Grilled shrimp helps shrimp salad take on a rich new flavor. Similarly, it would work wonders in your favorite shrimp pasta recipe. If you plan to have a cream sauce on your pasta, I would suggest leaving out the Old Bay seasoning on the above recipe.

Shell-On Grilled Shrimp

Same recipe as above, except we are going for PINK coloring on the shell. (In addition to adding lots of flavor, the shell acts as a built in thermometer.)  Also, instead of Old Bay Seasoning, you could try a bit of paprika, salt and pepper. Rub it and let it sit for a minute before slapping them on the grill. A squeeze of lemon goes a long way, too. If you want to take the lemon thing a step further, put lemon halves on the grill at the last minute. The heat releases the juices, as well as adding a little more grill flavor to the lemons.

Spicy Grilled Shrimp

• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 tablespoon kosher (or sea) salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper  (careful!)
• 1 teaspoon of paprika
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 2 teaspoons (preferably fresh) lemon juice

Combine everything EXCEPT THE SHRIMP in a bowl. Mix it to form a pretty thick marinade..almost a paste. Toss dry shrimp into the bowl and, um, toss! Make sure the flavoring is all over the shrimp. Let them sit for a minute or two, then put them on a medium fire for two or three minutes per side. When they are white or translucent, they’re done.