melt-in-your-mouth shrimp

This is a shrimp recipe that I've had in my head ever since my mom and I spilled a HUGE bowl full of it (in raw form) all over her living room stairs, and then Bailey (their Boston Terrier) ate a bunch of the garlic and then puked it all up.

But this is a story for a happier day, a beautiful Friday evening when I threw the shrimp into a marinade while I did some other stuff, and then I cooked up a pot of a funny mix of Israeli couscous, some sort of mini garbanzo bean, some orzo and a miniature quinoa (a mix from TRADER JOE'S that someone gave me -- oh, happy day to have something from TJ's in my kitchen), sauteed some kale in garlic and soy sauce, and cooked on the grill the shrimp along with some zucchini fingers and more kale that I'd doused in the shrimp marinade just for fun.

Are you ready for the secret to the most amazing shrimp? Here it is:

1 part olive oil
1 part soy sauce
1 part sherry
a bunch of chopped garlic

If you're only doing shrimp for two, like I did tonight (plus the zucchini and kale), less than 1/4 cup each is more than enough. Marinade the shrimp for maybe 30 minutes, then throw them on a medium-heat grill (I have one of those grill grates, so small stuff doesn't fall through) for just a couple of minutes. Don't overcook the shrimp because they get tough. But oooh, after cooking them on the grill, these babies seriously melt in your mouth. Seriously! Do you believe me yet? Then you'll just have to try them for yourself!

Since I'd made too much marinade, I thought I'd give the zucchini a try, and it was great, too! I cut it into strips, soaked it for maybe 5 minutes, and threw it on at the same time as the shrimp. In the future, I think the zucchini will need to go on a few minutes earlier.

I also wanted to see if I could replicate kale chips on the grill. Can't remember if I've blogged about them before, but they're kind of fun and pretty healthy (google 'em; you'll find plenty of recipes). Just take bite-sized pieces of kale, brush on a seasoning (I used italian dressing before; this time it was the shrimp marinade) and grill for a couple of minutes. Don't let them burn or they're kind of nasty and bitter; but nicely-crisped, they make a fun garnish or appetizer.

Final step: linger over dinner and a glass of wine in the back yard while the sun is fading with the love of your life (or other company of choice).