Citrus and Herb Grilled Prawns

Who: Chef Marc Marrone, Corporate Executive Chef of TAO Group

Instagram: @ChefMarcMarrone

Chef Marrone’s Guest-worthy Recipe:

Citrus and Herb Grilled Prawns, Cool Avocado Yogurt Dip at The Highlight Room, TAO Group Los Angeles

Why?

“This dish is perfect for sharing because you can prep a ton of shrimp and an even bigger bowl of the dip. You can leave it out as an appetizer during a dinner party, or something to snack on/pass around.”

Ingredients:

For the Shrimp

36 pcs of shrimp, about 3 lbs, peeled and deveined

3 oranges

2 limes

2 lemons

1 bunch Italian parsley, cleaned and chopped, about 1 c

4 sprigs mint, picked and chopped, about 4 Tbsp, plus 2 sprigs for garnish

8 garlic cloves, chopped, about 3 Tbsp

1 Tbsp cumin, ground

1 tsp curry powder, optional

1 c canola oil or grapeseed oil

1 Tbsp Kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper, fresh ground

For the Avocado Cream

3 medium avocados

1 small jalapeño

1 c Greek yogurt

1/4 c lime juice, fresh

1/4 c extra virgin olive oil

1/4 c water, as needed

1/2 bunch cilantro, freshly chopped

Kosher salt, to taste

Black pepper, ground, to taste

Directions:

For the Shrimp

Clean and set aside your shrimp in a large mixing bowl.

Finely zest the limes, lemons, and oranges. Combine all and set aside.

Using a sharp knife, remove the remaining peel from the oranges and cut out the segments, leaving any white peel behind. Set aside the orange segments.

Cut the limes and lemons in halves, then quarters. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl, combine the chopped herbs, garlic, cumin, curry powder, mixed zest, and oil.

Squeeze half of the lemons and limes into the bowl, and add half of the cleaned oranges and their juice.

Whisk all to combine and then pour over shrimp mix to coat all the shrimp evenly. Cover and refrigerate for one to four hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the Avocado Cream. See below.

When ready to cook, heat your grill to medium hot if using propane (about 400-450 degrees). If using charcoal, build your fire heavier to one side so you have a hot spot to sear.

Remove the shrimp from the marinade and lightly wipe off any excess oil or bits of marinade. Excess oil will cause flare ups on the grill, and while we are looking for a nice char on the shrimp, the flare ups will ruin the flavor.

Season the shrimp evenly with salt and pepper, then grill about two to three minutes per side over medium high heat until pink and lightly charred.

Remove the shrimp to a clean mixing bowl, add the remaining orange pieces and their juice, then squeeze one to two pieces of lime and lemon into the bowl as well. Pick the last few pieces of mint, then add and mix all to combine.

Plate the shrimp on a platter, garnish with mint and extra citrus wedges on the side. Serve with your chilled avocado cream for dipping.

For the Avocado Cream

Split the avocados and remove the seed, remove the skin and roughly chop.

Clean the jalapeño and remove seeds and ribs, then finely mince.

Add the avocados, cilantro, and jalapeños to a small food processor or blender. Briefly pulse together. Add the yogurt and pulse again to mix. Then, add olive oil and lime juice and puree until smooth, using water to thin the texture as needed. Season with salt, pepper, and more lime if needed.