Grilled Shrimps and Corn | Ottolenghi

The grilled shrimp and corn evokes the fond memory of the annual July 4 celebration, which was cancelled this year due to the pandemic. This dish is all about bold grill flavors; the tamarind chili dressing brings it home. For sure, I’d dial it up a notch next time. It needs to be bold amid the fire and heat. On the other hand, hot and spicy grilled shrimp (with a knock to the Far East) is not the typical flavor of July 4th. Nonetheless, I can use some firework in my mouth — in lieu of the real show. I know, unusual times call for making do with less and letting go.

I can’t get enough of the New Jersey silver queen corn. Sweet but never starchy, they are coming into the season now. I usually boil them to get a clean silky texture of the kernel. But grilling them works also and imparts a smoky note, just the right complement to the shrimps.

What’s noteworthy is undoubtedly the tamarind chili dressing. It’s a mixture of coriander, tamarind paste, chili, garlic, maple syrup, lime juice and olive oil. Unfortunately my tamarind paste has been sitting in the fridge for years and it’s certainly not at its best. Even with that, the flavor is finger-licking good. In my mind, I could imagine the potential for it to be mind-blowingly delicious. Remember, perfection has to take a back seat for the time being.

“Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.”

I’m not letting my eyes off the virus. Sars-cov-2 isn’t taking a day off, neither should we. Here is a new way we (and the FDA) should be thinking about testings and getting the kids safely back to school.

Print Recipe

Grilled Shrimps and Corn

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 50g coriander stems and leaves, plus 10g picked coriander leaves for the salad
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 green chilli, de-seeded and chopped (I use a chili paste)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• 75ml olive oil
• 12 large raw shrimps, peeled, tail on, or whole
• 2 corn cobs (380g net), lightly oiled
• 50g arugula
• 10g picked mint leaves
• 2 spring onion, thinly sliced (15g)
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

1

Make the dressing: Place 50g coriander, the tamarind, chilli, garlic, maple, lime juice, ¼ teaspoon of salt and some black pepper in the small bowl of a food processor. Blitz and, with the machine still running, slowly add the olive oil to form a uniform dressing. Pour half of the dressing over the prawns, stir and leave to marinate for about 20 minutes.

2

Place a ridged griddle pan on high heat and when it starts to smoke add the corn. Turn as you grill the cobs on all sides, a total of 8-10 minutes, until nice and chard all over (beware, this will create a lot of smoke). Remove and then use a sharp knife to shave off the corn in clumps. Season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and set aside. Place the prawns on the chargrill and cook for 2-3 minutes, turning once. Remove, set aside.

3

Place the picked coriander, arugula, mint and spring onion in a bowl and pour over the remaining dressing. Mix gently and then divide half the salad between individual serving plates. Spoon the corn on top of the leaves, finish with the remaining salad and then place three shrimps on top of each portion. Serve at once.

Notes

adapted from https://ottolenghi.co.uk/recipes/grilled-prawns-and-corn-with-tamarind-and-coriander-dressing