I love a recipe where the sauce and the main course share the same fire, and this is exactly that. I build a hot coal bed in my Yoder Smokers El Dorado with lump charcoal and split wood, then grill zucchini, tomatillos, and white onion until they pick up real char. The zucchini goes in the hottest spot, the tomatillos come off as soon as they soften, and everything lands in the blender with Hatch Valley green chiles, fresh garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and a little mesquite smoked salt.
That smoky, tangy salsa verde does double duty. I baste it onto colossal shrimp that I've drizzled with roasted garlic olive oil and seasoned with Cattleman's Grill Provisioner's Blend, and I cook them over high heat until they turn opaque almost all the way to the center. The rest goes on the plate as a bright, charred sauce for spooning over the top.
It's a light, fresh dinner that comes together in about 45 minutes, and it's friendly enough for a first-timer who has never built a coal bed.
What You'll Love
- One fire, two jobs. The same coal bed chars the vegetables for the salsa and then cooks the shrimp, so there's no second burner and no stovetop.
- Char where it counts. The zucchini goes in the hottest spot for deep char, while the tomatillos come off as soon as they soften so their juices stay in the salsa.
- A salsa that works twice. I use the salsa verde as a baste on the shrimp and then spoon it on the plate. It makes about 2 1/4 cups, so there's plenty for both.
- Bright and light. Tomatillos, lime juice, cilantro, and Hatch Valley green chiles keep the whole plate fresh and tangy.
- Shrimp in minutes. Colossal shrimp go on skewers and cook fast over high heat, so the grill time is short once the vegetables are done.
- Friendly for first-timers. Every step is judged by look and feel, like char, softened, and opaque, so you can cook by sight instead of watching a timer.
