Sadly, but relatively unknown, BBQ barbecues are illegal within Beijing proper. My folks spent the summer without a grill, at least.
This means that as soon as we landed in Hawaii, we made a beeline for the nearest Safeway to stock up on food. My dad cooked a dish with grilled prawns and grilled scallops. On our way to the seafood counter, we managed to lose some of our better judgment. The grilled shrimp and scallops are quite fine on their own. You could either choose one or go extreme and make both.
I loved the marinade’s fresh herb and citrus flavors. It’s probably not a good idea to advocate going about and grabbing random fruits off of trees. And yet, that’s exactly what we did. We’re the type to take such risks.
Just plain rash and reckless.
In any case, a standard lime will do the trick and produce an equally satisfying result.
Herbs were also discovered on the condo grounds, growing in a small box close to the outdoor barbecues. Like, why bother with geraniums when you can grow some basil and parsley instead?
My father improvised a recipe for grilled shrimp and scallops using the ingredients we uncovered and the herbs from the little garden he set up next to the barbecues. There’s no way you’ll be let down.
Ingredients:
- 1 to 2 pounds of large shrimp
- 1 pound of large sea scallops
- 3-6 cloves of garlic
- 1 orange
- 1 lime
- ground black pepper
- Olive oil
- fresh basil
- fresh parsley
- sea salt
- Crusty bread
Instructions:
- If you want scallops, haw them. Cleaning them quickly and efficiently is as easy as giving them a brisk rinse under water. Please rinse and dry off.
- In order to clean shrimp rapidly, it is best to run them under a gentle drip of water while simultaneously cutting off their legs (not quite sure how else to refer to them, but I think you get the point). Please rinse and dry off.
- Throw all the seafood you have into one big bowl. Garlic and herbs should be minced. Hold onto half of it later and add the rest to the seafood in the bowl.
- Mix in the orange and lime juices, the zest, some salt and pepper, and three tablespoons of olive oil. Marinate while you stir until everything is well-combined.
- Meanwhile, combine the leftover garlic herb combination with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Put this oil right here so you can dip your bread in it!
- Before you begin cooking, make sure your grill is spotless and preheated to its maximum temperature (for a covered grill, this is between 475 and 500 degrees). Long grill tongs are a must, as the grill will be very hot.
- Immediately before placing the shrimp and scallops on the grill, stir the seafood once more to ensure a generous oil coating, and then go to work.
- If you want great sear and grill marks, don’t touch them after they’re placed. Spread the remaining flavored oil over the shrimp and scallops with a basting brush or spoon.
- Cook the seafood until it is opaque all the way through, turning once.
- You can serve the seafood with garlic-herb oil and grilled toast.