The cook’s nook with Marcus Cordova

Here is one of my favorite recipes, especially in the summer. I love to fire up the grill any chance I get. This dish is so versatile and always a winner! It’s something that you can serve as an appetizer or as on entrée over a bed of pasta or atop a great summer salad.

GRILLED BACON-WRAPPED SHRIMP STUFFED WITH JALAPEÑO & CHEESE

Ingredients:

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and rinsed. You can just butterfly the shrimp in this process. You can leave the tails on for presentation

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon chile powder

4 oz Monterey Jack cheese, cut into thin strips

4 jalapeños, halved, seeded, and cut into thin strips

1 pound bacon strips, halved

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 lime, quartered or lemon wedges

Instructions:

1. In a small bowl mix together garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Place shrimp in a large bowl and season with 3/4 of the spice mixture, tossing to evenly coat.
2. The best way to stuff the shrimp is to lay them all out on your cutting board with the butterflied shrimp open, facing up. In the center place one jalapeño slice and one cheese slice in each shrimp and then wrap base of shrimp all the way around with slice of bacon. Repeat with rest of shrimp.
3. Thread shrimp onto skewers and season lightly with remaining spice mixture. Brush shrimp lightly with melted butter.
4. Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread the coals evenly over entire surface of coal grate. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grilling grate. Grill shrimp over high heat until bacon crisps and shrimp just cook through, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove to a platter and serve with lime wedges.