A flavorful 3-ingredient marinade makes this lightly spicy recipe as easy as it is delicious. No grill? You can broil the shrimp!
Have you ever wondered what food item is most commonly stolen from grocery stores worldwide? (Stick with me here…I’m going somewhere with this.)
The answer surprised me. It’s cheese. In the United States, cheese actually ranks fourth behind meat, candy, and baby formula. (France skewed the global figures.) These stats are one more reason the following story is so crazy.
Not that you or I would ever steal anything, but IF we did, I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t be salad dressing, right? Well, I was talking with an acquaintance of mine a few months ago after he left work at a large national yogurt company to take on a unique opportunity at a boutique condiment company called Tessemae’s. An interesting story unfolded and proved to be quite a testimonial for Tessemae’s all-natural products.
As the mother of three athletic boys, Tesse had to figure out a way to get them to eat their veggies. To avoid the artificial ingredients so often found in store-bought options, she perfected her own homemade recipe. When one of her son’s friends broke into their home and stole a container of homemade salad dressing๏ผand nothing else๏ผshe knew she was onto something. The shenanigans ultimately inspired Greg, Tesse’s oldest son, to start a business with his mom and sell her creations to the world.
Those who have followed my blog for a while know that I like to make my own salad dressings๏ผbut you also know that I enjoy a good shortcut as much as the next person! To test out my first bottle of Tesse’s original dressing (which I’m happy to say was given to me, not stolen 😉 ), I thought back to an old recipe for grilled shrimp marinated in honey, Italian vinaigrette, and cayenne for a subtle spicy-sweet flavor profile. ย
Tessemae’s Lemon Garlic dressing is mild and versatile like a traditional Italian vinaigrette. It complements fresh, everyday ingredients yet is an ideal building block for bolder flavors. I like how the hint of lemon enhances a simple salad of mixed greens, blueberries, avocado, almonds and crumbled feta cheese. I’ve also used it in place of olive oil to sautรฉ mushrooms and kale, which I also topped off with a handful of feta, although Parmesan would be nice too.
The following shrimp dish a twist on that old Italian vinaigrette recipe that my family loves. It’s beyond easy and can be served as an appetizer or entree. Iโve made it for company several times and itโs always devoured quickly.
We like the following amount of spice to balance the honeyโitโs lightly spicy but doesnโt overwhelm those who donโt tolerate a lot of heat. Feel free to add extra cayenne or a splash of your favorite hot sauce if you like a little fire.
One of my good friends recently told me that she often makes this recipe with chili oil instead of cayenne, never measuring, just shaking in a generous amount. Along those lines, you could use sriracha, Tabasco, sambal oelek, Cholula, or Frank’s hot sauce.
Iโd love to know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment, rate it, and donโt forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated. 💛
Snappy Honey Grilled Shrimp
Ingredients
- ยฝ cup Italian salad dressing
- ยฝ cup honey
- ยฝ teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)*
- 2 pounds uncooked medium to large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tail on**
- 8 skewers (if wooden, soak for 30 minutes before using)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, thoroughly combine the salad dressing, honey and cayenne. ย Remove ยผ cup of the mixture to a separate bowl; cover and refrigerate the reserved portion for basting later. ย Pour the larger amount of marinade into a large, zip-top bag; add the shrimp. Seal the bag and turn to coat.ย Refrigerate the shrimp for 1-2 hours.
- When ready to grill, drain the shrimp and discard the marinade. Thread the shrimp onto eight metal or soaked wooden skewers. Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long-handled tongs, rub on the grill rack to coat lightly.
- Grill the shrimp, uncovered, over direct, medium heat for 5-7 minutes, turning the shrimp several times. Baste the shrimp several times with the reserved marinade after the shrimp is partially cooked on both sides. The shrimp will turn a nice pink color when cooked, and the meat inside should be white and opaque. The extra marinade will caramelize nicely. Just be careful not to overcook the shrimp, as it will become tough and rubbery.
- Alternatively, you may broil the shrimp 4 inches from the heat for 1ยฝ to 2 minutes on each side. Baste with reserved marinade. Grill or broil 2-3 minutes longer or until shrimp are pink and firm, turning and basting frequently.
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