New Orleans Shrimp Skewers

Buy frozen shrimp so you have them for when you crave cuisine from the bayou! Cajun “red or black” style comes from pepper, pepper, and more pepper.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

1 teaspoon white peppercorns, freshly ground

1 teaspoon pink peppercorns, freshly ground

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1⁄2 teaspoon dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme

11⁄4 pounds jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, melted

  1. Mix all dry ingredients until well blended. (This will keep in a closed jar for months at a time.)

  2. Preheat the grill to high.

  3. Rub some of the pepper mixture into the shrimp (use rubber gloves if you have sensitive hands). Then thread the shrimp onto skewers.

  4. Grill, basting with melted butter, for about 2 minutes per side, or until the shrimp are pink.

Cajun Spice!

Black peppercorns, red peppers, pink peppercorns, and white ones, too! Lots of pepper, mixed with garlic and onion powder, holds the secrets of the South. The true secrets are in the quantities of which peppers are employed. Some are heavier on the black, others on the red. It’s said that some of the most successful Cajun cooks add a touch of brown sugar to the rub!