Jerk Shrimp with Pineapple Salsa

By MooK

Ingredients

• Ingredients for the Pineapple Salsa:
• 1 pound fresh shrimp, 16-20 count/lb
• 1 tbsp dried minced onion
• 1 tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp cracked black pepper
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• generous pinch of salt
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup of water
• 5-7 wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least one hour
• 2 cups of fresh pineapple, cut into small cubes
• 1/2 cup of red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 3/4 cup of mixed bell peppers, seeded, and finely chopped
• 1 serrano pepper, seeded, finely chopped
• 1 whole lime, juiced
• small pinch of salt
• 2 green onions, finely sliced

Preparation

Step 1

Start by mixing all of your jerk ingredients together with the exception of the shrimp. Stir until everything is nice and incorporated. Pour this mixture over the shrimp, and gently stir to combine the flavors. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.

During this time, prepare your ingredients for the pineapple salsa. Take all of those prepared ingredients, place in a bowl, and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for a couple of hours.
Next, heat up your grill. I prefer to use charcoal on anything jerk as it gives off that smoky flavor that enhances the jerk. Once your coals are heated, skewer the shrimp onto the soaked skewers. Place onto the grill, and ‘man’ the grill being careful not to overcook the shrimp. If you do not cook shrimp all that often, just remember that they do not take all that long to cook, and never turn your back on them, especially when they are on the grill. I like to balance out my coals when grilling. One side heated coals, and the other side no coals. This way I can use my tongs and rotate the skewers throughout the short cooking process.

Once the shrimp begin to plump and turn a nice opaque, remove them from the grill and get ready to plate.

To plate, remove the pineapple salsa from the refrigerator, and give it a good stir.

Place a skewer, or two onto a plate, and line the shrimp with a generous helping of jerk shrimp.