This recipe engages all five taste senses marrying the hot bitter savory flavors of blackening spice with a fruity sweet-spicy Asian-inspired glaze that is delicious on shrimp or poultry. If you have any leftover glaze, it will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for a week. Serve these delicious shrimp with a vegetable couscous or rice and veggies for a quick and easy main course, or as a starter salad with mixed greens dressed lightly with a citrus vinaigrette.

Glazed Yin-Yang Shrimp
Serves 4
Soak some bamboo skewers in warm water for at least an hour while you prepare the shrimp. This step will prevent the skewers from burning on the grill.

INGREDIENTS
12-16 extra-large shrimp shelled and deveined (or 8 as a starter)
For the blackening spice:

2 ½ tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Mix all the ingredients thoroughly. A spice grinder is helpful. Keep in a tightly closed container with your other spices.

For the glaze:

¼ cup apricot jam
1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce (available at any Asian market or the International section of your supermarket)
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 teaspoon lime zest
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons of hot sauce (I used Peachy Habanero Hot Sauce, but any hot sauce will do
¼ teaspoon 5 Spice Powder- optional but recommended (available at any Asian market or the International section of your supermarket)
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Combine the ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a slow boil and lower the heat, stirring frequently, until the jam melts and a sauce forms. Simmer over low heat for a few minutes, remove from the heat and allow the flavors to meld for 10 or 15 minutes before using.

PREPARATION
1. Drizzle the shrimp with a tablespoon of olive oil and stir to coat.
2. Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of blackening spice over the shrimp and stir to coat well.
3. Allow the shrimp to marinate in the fridge for at least 20 minutes up to an hour.
4. Thread the shrimp onto the bamboo skewers. (See the photo to thread the shrimp in a yin-yang pattern on the skewers.)
5. Lightly oil the grates on your pre-heated hot grill.
6. Place the shrimp on the hot grill and brush with the sauce; grill for 2 minutes.
7. Flip the shrimp, brush with sauce, and grill for 2 minutes.
8. Remove from the grill to plate and serve while hot.

Wine pairing: dry-Riesling, Viognier, Chenin Blanc, Fume Blanc, or Gewürztraminer are good choices to pair with this spicy, fruity dish. Avoid wines with heavy tannins.

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Anywhere fresh herbs are grown you will find some version of Green Sauce. The list includes Italian and Spanish salsa verde, Chimichurri from Argentina, Moroccan Charmoula, and minty green sauce from Great Britain just to name a few. This Asian-inspired dish uses large sea scallops (or any flaky white fish) marinated in sesame oil, fish sauce, and honey; pan-seared or grilled, finished with a slightly sweet, tart, spicy green sauce made with rice vinegar, honey, red chile, garlic, and cilantro (fresh coriander). You’ll be amazed at how fast you can have this easy, elegant dish on your dinner table. The scallops double as a delicious starter, or a light main course served with rice and veggies. Once you try it with scallops, I strongly urge you to use this sauce on your favorite white fish. You won’t be disappointed! Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
Serves 4 for a light meal: 4-5 scallops per person (or 1 ½ -2 pounds of flaky white fish)

For the marinade:

4 teaspoons sesame oil
4 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon honey

For the Green Sauce:

8 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon salt
4 cloves of garlic grated or finely minced
1 ½ -2 teaspoons fresh red chile pepper finely minced
6 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped

PREPARATION

Prepare the marinade and reserve half of it to put into the green sauce. Pour the remaining half of the marinade over the scallops and refrigerate. While the scallops marinate prepare the green sauce.
Add the vinegar, honey, salt, and garlic to a small saucepan over medium-high heat and boil for 3-4 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chile and coriander. For a smoother sauce, buzz the mixture in a small food processor. Add the reserved marinade to the mixture.
On your grill or stovetop, preheat a cast iron skillet (or another heavy bottom skillet) until very hot.
Add a tablespoon of canola oil to coat the skillet and add the scallops without crowding. A cast iron skillet can accommodate about 6-8 large scallops at a time. Sear the scallops for 2 minutes and flip them for another 2 minutes. This should produce a nice brown crust on the scallops. Keep them warm while cooking the remaining scallops.
Serve the scallops with the green sauce spooned over.

This dish pairs nicely with white or brown rice and sauteed vegetables of your choice.

Wine pairing: white wines work well with this dish. Consider a Viognier, Dry Riesling, Albariño, Vermentino, Vernaccia, or White Bordeaux.

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Glazed Yin-Yang Shrimp →

Asian Scallops with Green Sauce →