With all the global warming we’ve been having up in this piece, the urge to cook al fresco has become almost unbearable. I really thought I’d have to wait at least another month or so to bust out my first BBQ column (and trust me, there will be plenty once summer officially kicks in), but all this sunshine and daylight savings and walking around in t-shirts and patio boozing has led me to just throw caution to the wind and jump the gun entirely. It’s nice enough to bike outside. You can wear shorts without getting incredulous stares. I can hear birds. I want meat, cooked over a fire. I, therefore, declare it BBQ season, people! Get a beer, go outside and dust off your grill! (And if we get a massive snowstorm next week, I accept full responsibility.)
I could take up an entire column extolling the virtues of barbecuing, but until it’s officially summer, I’ll simply point out that grilling cuts down on time and dishes significantly. You can throw some garlic, salt and pepper on a steak, toss it on a grill, make a quick salad and have dinner ready in about 20 minutes (making sure, of course, you take time to preheat the grill and rest the meat, the virtues of which I discussed in my steak sandwich column). The recipe for Grilled Shrimp and Corn Quesadillas at the end of this column takes a few more steps, but the extra effort is worth it. It can make a great, light weeknight meal or can be served as an appetizer, cut into smaller wedges. This recipe is still doable if you don’t have a grill, but the charred smokiness you get from a grill makes these shrimp quesadillas special, especially when paired with melted gooey cheese and sweet, fresh corn.
Also, I realize it’s not corn season, so you could omit this from the recipe and use something else that’s crunchy and sweet (finely diced red peppers?) — but I don’t recommend canned corn as a substitute. And who are we kidding, nothing in this recipe qualifies for the 100-Mile Diet, and frankly, you can find US-imported corn-on-the-cob at the grocery store year-round. Finally, I am patting myself on the back for not predictably titling this column using the words “shrimp” and “barbie” and “gonna toss some.”
The key to grilling shrimp is to watch them carefully; you don’t want to overcook them, and even 30 seconds can mean the difference between properly cooked and rubbery, overdone shrimp. The best way to ensure they cook evenly is to skewer them, no matter what size you use (I like the smaller-sized tiger shrimp for this recipe), and to make sure you don’t put too many shrimp on one skewer, leaving a bit of space between each one. Use a clean grill with high heat and keep an eye on them — they should only take 2 to 4 minutes a side; remove them when they are just opaque.
You can use fresh or frozen shrimp, just make sure that if frozen, they’re properly thawed and shelled before you skewer and grill them (I usually just throw the bag in cold water for 10 minutes or so to thaw, or put in a colander under cold running water if I’m feeling particularly wasteful). Since the shrimp will cook quickly, you don’t need to soak your skewers very long — maybe 5 minutes while you’re prepping your shrimp. If you don’t have a grill, you can sauté the shrimp in a pan on high heat until just opaque, and then bake assembled quesadillas in a 375F oven until cheese is melted and tortillas begin to toast slightly on edges.
Weekend tip? If you’ve got more time, grill the corn too by lightly brushing with oil and grilling over medium heat ‘til lightly toasted and brown on all sides.
Grilled Shrimp and Corn Quesadillas
1 lb small tiger shrimp, shelled (about 25-30)
Juice of 1 lime
1 clove garlic, minced
1-2 tbsp olive oil
Kosher or coarse salt
1 tsp chili powder
3 green onions, chopped
1 cup fresh corn (sliced off the cob)
3 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 cups shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
6 large flour tortillas
vegetable oil
6-8 wooden skewers, soaked in water 5-10 minutes
1. While grill is preheating: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together lime juice, garlic, olive oil, a generous pinch of salt and chili powder. Add shrimp and toss to coat. This is also a good time to do any other prep (chop cilantro, onions; grate cheese).
2. Skewer shrimp onto skewers, leaving a bit of space between shrimp so they cook evenly.
3. Grill on direct high heat, 2-4 minutes per side depending on size of shrimp, until opaque and just cooked through. Reduce grill heat to medium.
4. Remove shrimp from skewers and combine in a large mixing bowl with green onions, fresh corn and cilantro.
5. Brush one side of each tortilla lightly with vegetable oil. To assemble quesadillas, place each tortilla oil side down and place a layer of shrimp on half the tortilla. Sprinkle generously with cheese and fold in half, pressing down gently. Repeat for remaining tortillas.
6. Grill quesadillas on direct medium heat, 2-3 minutes per side, flipping once carefully. The tortillas should have grill marks and the cheese should be melted. Carefully transfer quesadillas to a cutting board to cool for a minute, then slice into wedges and serve with garnish of choice (guacamole, salsa, sour cream, you get the picture).
Sara Chan is an articling student at a Toronto law firm. Her favourite food group is pork. Sara’s column appears every other Tuesday here on lawandstyle.ca.