Butterflied Shrimp with Habanero Tomatillo Salsa Recipe

Butterflying the shrimp gives it an attractive appearance and more surface area for the marinade to penetrate. Handle habaneros with care. They are among the hottest chiles, but marinating them in vinegar and sugar softens their bite.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
  • 1 habanero pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
  • 1 tomatillo, finely chopped
  • 1 pound large shrimp
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons olive oil
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • Dash of salt
  • Cooking spray

Directions

Prepare grill. To prepare salsa, combine first 6 ingredients, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in onion, habanero, and tomatillo. Cover and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

To prepare shrimp, peel shrimp, leaving tails intact. Starting at tail end, butterfly each shrimp, cutting to, but not through, underside of shrimp. Combine 1 tablespoon of lime juice, 2 teaspoons oil, garlic, and dash of salt in a large bowl. Add shrimp; toss well. Cover and marinate in refrigerator 10 minutes.

Place shrimp, cut sides down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and grill for 5 minutes or until shrimp is done, turning once. Serve with salsa.