Portugal GP 2021: Grilled Shrimp with Piri-Piri Sauce with Grilled Vegetables
I was so excited to see the Portuguese GP show up on the 2021 Race Calendar. I know it might not be around every year so we have to take advantage of the opportunity to make a big batch of Piri-Piri Hot Sauce and eat it with everything for the next few weeks.
I was also excited because it is a beautiful part of the world and a classic track that deserves to have F1 cars tearing around it.
I found quite a few recipes in The New Portuguese Table by David Leite that sounded mouth-watering, but with the gorgeous weather, we couldn’t resist firing up the grill. We had guests over for a social-distance backyard hangout and Portuguese dinner to celebrate the weather, the F1 race, and the possibility of future gatherings not being socially distanced in the near future! This meal is perfect for guests because the Tomato Rice can be made ahead of time and warmed in the pot, the Sweet Sour Carrots are marinated overnight and served just cooler than room temperature, and the Piri-Piri Shrimp and veggies can be cooked outside with your guests.
The Piri-Piri sauce on the shrimp gives it a nice kick but does not make it overpoweringly spicy. I highly recommend brushing some on just before serving as well, or providing a dish of the hot sauce at the table so you can add it to everything on your plate if you appreciate some spice! The lemons cook to be perfectly juicy and are delicious squeezed over the shrimp and rice. For a simple summer meal, just the shrimp and veggies would make a great lunch.
Grilled Shrimp with Piri-Piri Sauce (Camarões Grelhados com Piri-Piri)
Serves 4-6
2 pounds Extra-Large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 cup Piri-Piri Sauce (recipe below - requires a few days advance prep) or store-bought hot sauce, plus extra for serving
2 lemons, cut into wedges
1.Clean shrimp well, keeping tails intact.
2. Combine the shrimp and Piri-Piri sauce in a wide dish that has a lid, or a large Ziploc bag. Toss to coat, marinate for several hours or up to overnight in the fridge, rotating the shrimp once or twice to ensure coverage.
3. Heat a gas or charcoal grill, or a cast iron grill pan to medium.
4. Thread the shrimp and lemon wedges onto skewers.
5. Grill the shrimp over indirect heat until just opaque and cooked through, 5-6 minutes total. For extra flavor and heat, brush with extra Piri-Piri sauce just before serving, and have some available on the table for those that like it really spicy!
Adapted from The New Portuguese Table by David Leite
Grilled Vegetables
1-2 small zucchini
1 yellow squash
2 large red bell peppers
Vegetables of your choice! (onions, mushrooms, eggplant)
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
2 tsp Italian dried herb blend (or seasoning of your choice)
1. Chop all vegetables into approximately even-sized chunks that will fit well on a skewer, approximately 1-1 ½” cubed. Place in a wide pan or large bowl.
2. Combine vinegar, olive oil, and seasonings in a mason jar or small bowl and shake or whisk together.
3. Cover vegetables with dressing/marinade and let marinate for 30 minutes-4 hours, flipping once or twice to evenly marinate.
4. Skewer vegetables alternating between each type of vegetable.
5. Heat grill to medium-high. Place vegetable skewers on the grill, flipping once or twice, grill until tender.
Piri-Piri Sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
6-8 fresh chile peppers such as cayenne, serrano, or tabasco, stemmed
1 cup extra-virgin olive iol
pinch of salt
1. Mix the garlic and vinegar in a small bowl and let steep for 20 minutes
2. Drop the peppers (including their seeds) and the garlic mixture into a food processor and pulse to chop. While the motor is running, pour in the oil, sprinkle with salt, and whir until smooth. Pour the sauce into a small glass jar with a tight-fitting lid and let steep in the fridge for several days, or preferably a week. (If you don’t get to make it in advance, just a couple of hours will do in a pinch.)
3. Strain the mixture, if you wish. The sauce will keep for about a month in the fridge. Shake well before using.