Shrimp
photo by Kent Whitaker
Happy Father’s Day weekend! I am blessed to be able to spend my father’s day weekend with my Pop. He is a great man and master of the grill. When I was growing up it was nothing for my dad to feed a house full of people using nothing more than a small charcoal Weber grill, ground beef and a bottle of whatever kind of sauce he could find in the fridge. A little salt and pepper, bun and fixings rounded out the perfect burger.
This year Ally and I will be joined by our son Mace as we travel to Nashville to visit my dad for Father’s Day. It will be a nice visit as I’ll get a chance to see my brothers as well. Scot, the middle brother of us three, became a master of the grill as well. The man can make some wicked dishes with seasoning combinations that rival anything Bobby Flay can whip up.
My oldest brother Ty served up his fair share of Teriyaki grilled chops over the years and loves a good barbecue joint almost as much as he enjoys Japanese cooking. The two go together. He’ll remind you that most decent Asian style restaurants feature a “grill master flipping seasoned chicken, beef, shrimp and ribs.” I see his point.
Ally and I have noticed that our son Mace has been bitten by the grilling and barbecue bug. On several occasions he attacked my grilling deck and shed with precision military skills taught to him by the Army. Instead of patrols and spotting targets he and his friends liberated assorted grills, tables, smokers, chairs, coolers and canopies for use at tailgates. Yes, Ally and I jumped in on a few in order to score a couple of pre-game burgers and beverages that we didn’t have to cook.
Grilling, barbecue and good chow comes naturally to the Whitaker family. So this year I decided that I would honor pops across the globe by offering up two quick and easy grilled dishes that the kids can cook for Good Ole Dad! In prior years I've featured pork, steak and burgers so this year I'm starting off with Shrimp.
Happy Fathers Day!
Grilled Cumin Chili Shrimp
3-4 pounds large shrimp - peeled & deveined
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons Cumin powder
Minced garlic
1 tablespoon chili powder
Several pinches sugar
1/2 lemon Juice
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Salt / Black Pepper & Crushed Red Pepper Flake to Taste
Skewers
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl besides the shrimp mix into a paste, adjust as needed. Add in shrimp and evenly coat. Cook on skewers or in a seafood basket or tray.
Orange Chili Chicken Thighs
4-6 chicken thighs
1 cup orange juice
1/3 cup favorite barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin powder
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
Dash of garlic powder
Dash of salt and pepper
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl or large zip close bag and evenly coat the thighs. Chill in the fridge for about an hour, maybe two. Move the thighs around to make sure they are evenly coated. Remove from marinade before grilling. If you use the marinade as a baste make sure you heat it up or combine some of your favorite barbecue sauce with a few spoonfuls of orange juice.
Serve hot with your favorite sides.
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(Kent Whitaker is a culinary writer and cookbook author living in Chattanooga. He is the winner of the Emeril Live BBQ contest and winner of an American Authors Association Gold medal. Mr. Whitaker’s books are in bookstores nationwide and are available online. Visit him online at www.thedeckchef.com or twitter.com/theKentWhitaker)