Grilled Shrimp Tacos for Sunny Days

This is a short and sweet ingredient list—which I consider to be a baseline requirement for any warm-weather recipe. Here’s what to grab at the grocery:

• Limes
• Grapefruit
• Honey
• Garlic
• Chili Powder
• Mayo
• Shrimp (peeled and deveined)
• Cabbage
• Corn Tortillas
• Avocados
• Cilantro
• Jalapeños

The key to keeping this simple is that pretty much all of our ingredients play double-duty. The marinade is also used as the base for the creamy sauce, and the grapefruit salsa uses several of the ingredients in the marinade, because again—I like a short grocery list.

To make the marinade, you’ll whisk together the zest and juice from your citrus with honey, garlic, chili powder and olive oil. Then you place the shrimp in a bowl and pour half the marinade over it. You only want this shrimp to marinate for 30 minutes to an hour at most—longer than that, and you’ll risk starting to “cook” the shrimp in the citrus (we’re not making ceviche here).

I also made grapefruit the star ingredient in this addictive grapefruit salsa. It’s an incredibly easy salsa that really elevates these tacos; simply toss together chunks of avocado and grapefruit, then add cilantro and adjust the jalapeño to add as much heat as you like. Double the recipe and set out some for pre-dinner tortilla chips for dipping.

Trust me on this: the key to the most delicious shrimp is getting that char, which means that a quick cooking method is the way to go. I like to cook shrimp on high heat in a cast-iron skillet set over the grill grates—it allows you to get that quick sear, while also ensuring that your shrimp don’t fall through the grates.

To assemble these shrimp tacos, you’re going to top a charred corn tortilla with some of your cabbage slaw, grapefruit salsa, and then the grilled shrimp. Garnish with cilantro and a drizzle of crema, and serve with lime wedges. The best shrimp tacos you’ve ever had (that also happen to be ridiculously easy—I won’t tell if you don’t.)

• Zest of 1 lime and 1 grapefruit
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 1/4 cup grapefruit juice
• 1/2 cup honey
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for pan
• 1/4 cup mayo or sour cream
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds large or jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 2 cups shredded green cabbage
• Corn tortillas, charred over grill
• For serving: cilantro leaves and lime wedges

For the grapefruit salsa:

• 1 grapefruit, peel and pith removed, and cut into segments

• 1 avocado, cut into chunks

• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro

• 1 jalapeño, seeds and ribs removed, chopped

• Kosher salt, to taste

1. Make the marinade: whisk together zest, juice, honey, garlic, chili powder, and olive oil.

2. Place shrimp in a bowl, then pour half the marinade over it. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, mix ¼ cup of the reserved marinade with ¼ cup of mayo or sour cream. This is your quick & creamy sauce. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

4. Make the grapefruit salsa: gently toss all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

5. Preheat grill to medium heat (375 degrees), and place a cast-iron skillet directly on the grates to preheat.

6. Drizzle olive oil on the bottom of the skillet, then place shrimp in the skillet and cook for 2 minutes. Baste the shrimp with the reserved marinade, then turn and cook for another two minutes, until opaque.

7. Remove from grill.

8. Toss the shredded cabbage with a couple tablespoons of the creamy sauce, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

9. Assemble tacos: top a charred corn tortilla with slaw, salsa, and then shrimp. Garnish with cilantro and a drizzle of sauce, and serve with lime wedges. Eat!