Grilled shrims with pepper confetti

Grilled shrims with pepper confetti

You know you at a Basque tapas bar when you see seafood – pickled anchovies, mussels, shrimp- flourished with a colorful vinaigrette ofdiced green and red peppers,white onion , flavorful white wine vinegar, and mild olive oil. So festive, so delicious. Versatile, too. Try this Basque vinaigrette on chunks of good canned tuna, Basic Marinated Sardines, the white anchovies called boquerones, warm seared scallops, or steamed shelled mussels.

These shrimp brochettes are the specialty at Goiz Argi, a perpetually packed bar in San Sebastián’s cobblestoned Parte Vieja. Like any proper pintxo (Basque tapa), the brochettes are served on pieces of bread, but since my house isn’t a pintxo bar, I skip the starch. You can also poach the shrimp, thread them on skewers, spoon vinai-
grette over them, and let them marinate lightly in the refrigerator for about two hours. The poached version doesn’t use bacon.

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5 from 1 vote

Grilled shrims with pepper confetti

You know you at a Basque tapas bar when you see seafood - pickled anchovies, mussels, shrimp- flourished with a colorful vinaigrette ofdiced green and red peppers,white onion , flavorful white wine vinegar, and mild olive oil. So fes-
tive, so delicious. Versatile, too. Try this Basque vinaigrette on chunks of good canned tuna, Basic Marinated Sardines, the white anchovies called boquerones, warm seared scallops, or steamed shelled mussels.

These shrimp brochettes are the specialty at Goiz Argi, a perpetually packed bar in San Sebastián’s cobblestoned Parte Vieja. Like any proper pintxo (Basque tapa), the brochettes are served on pieces of bread, but since my house isn’t a pintxo bar, I skip the starch. You can also poach the shrimp, thread them on skewers, spoon vinai-
grette over them, and let them marinate lightly in the refrigerator for about two hours. The poached version doesn’t use bacon.

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Spanish

Keyword seafood, shrimp

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 4 people

Calories 225kcal

Ingredients

FOR THE BASQUE VINAIGRETTE:

• ⅓ cup

  minced red bell pepper

• ¼ cup

  finely minced green bell pepper

• ¼ cup

  minced white onion

• 1 medium-size garlic clove, minced
• ¼ cup

  light olive oil

• 3 tbsp

  best-quality white wine vinegar

FOR THE SHRIMP

• 1 tsp

  olive oil, plus more for brushing

• 2

  slices best-quality bacon

• 24

  large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on

Instructions

• Make the Basque Vinaigrette: Place the red and green peppers, onion, garlic, olive oil, and vinegar in a bowl and stir to mix. Let stand for 30 minutes.
• Prepare the shrimp: Heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and

  cook until it is crisp and has rendered its fat, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the bacon on paper towels. When cool enough to handle, finely crumble the bacon.
• Soak 6 bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. Light the grill and preheat it to medium-high, or preheat the broiler.
• Thread 4 shrimp on each skewer, brush them lightly with olive oil, and sprinkle salt over them.

  Grill or broil the shrimp until just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side, taking care not to overcook them. (The shrimp can also be seared on a griddle.)
• Arrange the skewered shrimp on a serving plate, spoon the vinaigrette over them, and sprinkle the bacon on top.

Video

Notes

   SERVES 6 AS A TAPA, 3 AS A LIGHT MAIN COURSE