With a season that spans March to December, Gulf shrimp are the workhorse of Louisiana seafood and perfect for our warm weather menus. Light, fragrant and tender, they’re a versatile ingredient in so many dishes we love from po-boys to pasta and pizza to seafood omelets. They’re also great for summery bruschetta, one of the easiest dishes ever to make for a crowd.
This recipe not only calls for grilling the shrimp, but also the bread you’ll perch them on. Grilled bread is the only way to do bruschetta, that Italian antipasti whose basic rules also include rubbing the bread with fresh garlic and drizzling the top with good olive oil. You’ll see chopped tomato as a common topping, but here, we’re going with a half slice of fresh Creole tomato topped by a plump grilled shrimp. The shrimp have been marinated before going on the grill to rev up their mild flavor.
Here’s how:
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Shrimp and Tomato Bruschetta
Servings: 24
2 pounds large, head-on Gulf shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 baguette, cut on the bias into 24 slices
1 whole garlic clove, peeled
2 ripe Creole tomatoes, sliced into thin discs, and sliced again across middle
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh basil for garnish
For the shrimp marinade:
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, chives, dill and parsley
1 large garlic clove, minced
Zest from one lemon
Zest from one lime
Kosher salt to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1. Thread the cleaned shrimp onto barbecue skewers, and set aside on a platter.
2. Mix the shrimp marinade by combining the herbs, minced garlic, citrus zest, kosher salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
3. Apply the marinade, which will be the consistency of a loose paste, across the surface of the shrimp. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
4. Prepare the grill, allowing coals to reach medium heat.
5. Lightly grill each slice of bread on both sides and remove from the grill. Set aside on the platter you will use for serving.
6. With the grill at medium heat, grill the shrimp until cooked through, about 2 minutes on each side. Remove from the heat, and slide off the skewers.
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7. Rub each bread slice with the whole garlic clove. Drizzle each slice with a little olive oil and a shower of kosher salt.
8. Add one crescent-shaped slice of tomato to each bread slice. Place one cooked shrimp on top of the tomato. Drizzle again with the olive oil and a little salt. Top with ribbons of basil and serve.
Maggie Heyn Richardson is a regular 225 contributor. Reach her at hungryforlouisiana.com.