Recipe: Grilled Shrimp with Firecracker Sauce

When grilling shrimp, I strongly recommend purchasing the biggest crustacean your purse will allow; small shrimp fall easily through the grates and dry out quickly.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup tomato ketchup
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce*
• 2 teaspoons-2 tablespoons chili sauce (paste) with garlic*
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
• 2 pounds (16-20) jumbo frozen, raw shrimp (prawns), with shell on
• 1/4 cup olive oil

*Flavor-packed condiments found in the Asian section of most grocery stores and in Asian markets.

Directions

1. To make Firecracker Sauce, combine ketchup, hoisin sauce and 2 teaspoons chili paste with garlic, ginger and cilantro. Add additional chili paste to taste. (May be made up to 48 hours in advance.)
2. Prepare a gas or charcoal fire to high heat. Toss shrimp, coating both sides, with olive oil. On a well-oiled grill grate, grill shrimp 2-3 minutes on each side or until shrimp are pink, opaque and just cooked through. Do not overcook the shrimp; they will continue to cook when removed from the heat. Serve shrimp, when cool enough to peel, with Firecracker Sauce.

 This recipe was written by Peggy Lampman and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on July 4, 2011.