Grilled Shrimp

Vacationing on the Gulf Coast in Mississippi where you can walk down to the dock and pick up fresh jumbo shrimp right off the boat is a treat in and of itself.  I am discovering a multitude of recipes for shrimp and the following is my favorite so far. And it doesn't hurt that this recipe is so simple and quick.  Make sure you think ahead to marinate the shrimp a few hours before you are ready to eat!

Ingredients
1 lb. fresh jumbo Gulf shrimp
1/4 cup pastis (I have been using Henri Bardouin which has a lot more botanicals in it than the more ubiquitous Ricard, but Ricard should work almost as well)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons of salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon fennel seeds (optional)
wooden skewers soaked for at least 30 minutes before grilling

Mix all of the ingredients but shrimp in a bowl.  Dehead the shrimp.  Rinse the shrimp then devein (using kitchen scissors cut the backs of the shrimp open and remove the digestive tract with a knife).  In either a tupperware container or a flat baking dish put the shrimp and pour the marinade over them tossing to cover.  Refrigerate at least two hours, mixing the shrimp in the marinade at one hour.

Prep the grill to medium-high.

Make yourself a pastis! 
In a tall glass pour one and a half ounces of pastis, add one to two ice cubes, add enough water to dilute into a cloudy haze, roughly 4 ounces.  Cheers!

Grilling the Shrimp
Remove shrimp from the fridge.  Skewer the shrimp, but don't crowd them together.

Grill approximately two minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Alternatively you can broil them instead of grilling.  Just preheat your broiler and follow the same instructions.

I have served these on my classic salad as well as on a sandwich with sriracha mayo, tomato, basil and bibb lettuce. You can also peel them leaving the tails on and serve as an hors d'oevre with the sriracha mayo.

Pairing suggestions: Enjoy with sparkling water mixed with a splash of Italian limonata or that pastis if you haven't finished it!  This could also easily pair with a crisp Italian white such as a Gavi di Gavi .