firecracker

The other morning I was walking by the TV in my bedroom and caught a snippet of Giada de Laurentiis attempting to show Savanna Guthrie how to devein a shrimp. It was an amusing although futile clip, what really held my attention was the recipe that followed- buffalo grilled shrimp with a goat cheese dipping sauce.

Secretly I love wings though I rarely allow myself to order them. They are the appetizer equivalent of a Dairy Queen Blizzard. But shrimp and goat cheese- now that is something that won’t make me cringe when I click “I Ate This” on my calorie tracker app.

With a few tweaks to Giada's recipe I knew this starter would add the perfect kick to my holiday weekend.

Pick up a pound of extra large peeled, deveined raw frozen shrimp. Defrost overnight in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator.

For the sauce heat the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the shallots and sauté for two minutes.

Add the cumin and smoked paprika and continue to cook, stirring, for one more minute. This allows the smoky flavors to really develop.

Add the cream and salt, bring to a boil then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 5-10 minutes, until slightly thickened.

Whisk in the goat cheese, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth.

Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes before stirring in the finely chopped chives and parsley. The sauce can be made earlier in the day (minus the herbs), cool completely then cover and refrigerate. Gently warm the sauce over low heat then add the chopped herbs right before serving.

Drain the thawed shrimp well and place in a large Ziploc bag.

In a small bowl combine the hot sauce, minced garlic, lemon zest and vegetable oil.

Add the hot sauce mixture to the shrimp in the Ziploc bag. Seal and toss until thoroughly coated. Unseal the bag, remove the air and reseal. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or place in the refrigerator for an hour.

Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Sprinkle the shrimp with a little kosher salt and grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until opaque at the center. Take care not to overcook the shrimp or they will become rubbery. 

Place the grilled shrimp on a decorative plate with the goat cheese dipping sauce.  

These little firecrackers will put a pop into any celebration!