To craft this blog post, I received products and compensation from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com). This is an original recipe of mine and as always, all opinions are my own.
Grilled shrimp skewers and I go way back. I remember making this recipe for my new in-laws when I first got engaged. That was in 2006, so this has been a favorite recipe of my family’s for a very long time. This dish is perfect for the summer season. It also embodies the culinary wisdom that the best meals are made with fresh, flavorful ingredients. Enjoy!
Also on the bog today, I’m telling you about the Flavor Your Life campaign which hopes to educate and inform consumers about the amazing health benefits of European Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO). But before we get into the nitty-gritty about why we should all be consuming EVOO, I want to share the recipe with. With school out and the weather heating up, this is definitely a dish you want in the summer cookbook. Dust off that grill, get out the chopping block and delight everyone’s taste buds with these scrumptious grilled shrimp skewers.
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh shrimp
- 1/2 cup European EVOO
- 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- Juice from 1/2 lemon
- Tablespoon lemon rind
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Peel and de-vein shrimp (or buy raw shrimp that's already peeled and de-veined)
- Rinse shrimp in colander and when it's still wet, rub with sea salt
- Put shrimp in fridge
- Whisk together European EVOO, parsley, garlic, lemon juice and lemon rind
- Pour EVOO marinade over shrimp, return to fridge and let marinate for at least half an hour
- Carefully place shrimp on skewers (I also add onion to our skewers, but that's optional)
- Leave the marinade in the bowl to use later
- Grill skewers until they are juicy and well-cooked but not burnt
- As you grill, periodically brush the EVOO marinade onto the shrimp
- Serve over brown rice and other side dishes
The country of Europe is synonymous with olive oil. I was very close to a Greek family when I was younger and they talked about the beautiful olive trees growing everywhere in Greece. I often think of this when I’m cooking with olive oil. As part of the Flavor Your Life campaign, we were sent some literature about olive oil in general and European olive oil.
Did you know?
- EVOO is made by pressing without heat or chemicals, so it represents the freshest type of oil available.
- EVOO is virtually free of acidity (below 0.8%).
- Olive oil has a high smoke point, so it can handle low heats for sautéing or high heats for frying. You can also bake with olive oil.
- You should be strategic when storing your olive oil. Store somewhere dark and cool (around 57 ° if possible). Do not store on a stove top, counter or anywhere near high heats. Also, do not store in the fridge. Keep the lid tight and use within six months of opening and 18 months of purchasing.
That gives you some basic information and below, the graphic offers interesting facts about European EVOO, specifically.
For my recipe, I used the Zucchi Extra Virgin Olive Oil. This company is over 200 years old and has been owned and managed by seven generations of the Zucchi family. They are are a company committed to quality and purity. They even offer a traceability QR code so consumers can learn about the sources from which the EVOO was made. I love stuff like that.
This year, we planted more in our garden than ever before. Our herb harden is also larger than ever and includes parsley. I’ve learned over the past couple of years parsley is a durable, flavorful, abundant herb and us used in a lot of recipes. For my grilled shrimp skewers, it was fun to step outside and pick some parsley for this recipe. It’s true that pure, fresh ingredients create the most delicious meals. I hope you and your family are looking forward to a restful, fun and peaceful summer. If you’re looking for some great recipes for the grill, be sure to try this one. I promise you won’t be disappointed!
Stay connected with the Flavor Your Life campaign on Facebook and Twitter.