Grilled Shrimp Lettuce Cups

You can find these at pseudo Chinese restaurants like PF Chang's.  No offense PF Chang's.  I like your food but authentic?  No.  Easy to make and a great easily hand held appetizer.  Saveur Magazine

Picture by Mark Roper

SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1½ lb. raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
¼ cup olive oil
2 small fresh red Thai chiles, stemmed and finely chopped
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed, bruised with a mallet, and cut into 2″ pieces
1 (4"-piece) ginger, peeled and grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
7 (10") bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
4 small radishes, julienned
1 medium carrot, julienned
1 cup cilantro leaves
1 cup Thai basil leaves
1 head iceberg lettuce, crisp inner leaves only, for serving
Sweet chile sauce, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine shrimp, oil, chiles, lemongrass, ginger, salt, and pepper in a bowl; toss to combine. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours or up to overnight.

2. Heat a charcoal grill or set a gas grill to high; bank coals or turn off burner on one side (see "Grilling 101"). Heat a plancha or flat cast-iron griddle over coals until very hot. Remove shrimp from marinade and thread onto skewers; grill on plancha, flipping once, until slightly charred and cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove shrimp from skewers and serve with radishes, carrots, cilantro, and Thai basil leaves in lettuce leaves; drizzle with sweet chile sauce.

Grilled Steak Tacos with Spicy Slaw

I prefer a flat iron steak as opposed to a flank steak.  It has a higher fat content to keep the meat moist but most of the fat will render off as you grill. The slaw adds a nice crunchy touch on top of the juicy meat.



Serves 4

• 1-1/2 tsp. pure ancho chile powder
• 2 tsp. granulated sugar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1-1/4 lb. flank steak
• 1 large red onion, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 1 to 2 medium jalapeños, stemmed
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 3 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
• 1 Tbs. fresh lime juice; more as needed
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Lime wedges for serving

Prepare a medium (375°F) gas or charcoal grill fire.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the ancho powder with 1 tsp. of the sugar, 2 tsp. salt, and 3/4 tsp. pepper. Pat the steak dry, sprinkle the ancho mixture on both sides, and let sit at room temperature while the grill heats.

Set the onion rounds and jalapeños on a large plate and sprinkle with 1 Tbs. of the oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the cabbage with the lime juice, the remaining 1 tsp. sugar, and 1/2 tsp. salt. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and toss again.

Put the steak, onions, and jalapeños on the grill. Grill the steak, flipping once, until cooked to your liking, 5 to 6 minutes for medium rare (130°F to 135°F). Grill the vegetables, flipping once, until grill marks appear and they’re just tender, 4 to 6 minutes for the jalapeños and about 8 minutes for the onion. (Move the onions to a cooler part of the grill or lower the heat if they start to burn.) Transfer the steak and vegetables to a cutting board; let the steak rest for 5 minutes.

Chop the onions and finely chop the jalapeños, add to the cabbage mixture, and toss well. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and lime juice.

Spread 4 tortillas on the grill and heat, flipping once, until warm and softened, about 1 minute. Stack the warmed tortillas in a kitchen towel; repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Thinly slice the steak and put a few slices on each of the warm tortillas. Top with the slaw and a dollop of sour cream. Serve with the lime wedges.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 530; Fat (g): 24; Fat Calories (kcal): 210; Saturated Fat (g): 8; Protein (g): 36; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 12; Carbohydrates (g): 41; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2; Sodium (mg): 1350; Cholesterol (mg): 75; Fiber (g): 4;

PHOTO: SCOTT PHILLIPS