GrillinFool
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- May 8, 2009
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- St. Louis
Dad shared this recipe with me back in May, but, well, we put them on a wicked hot fire and stepped away to grab an adult beverage. It took just that long for them to burn. The flavor was still fantastic with this odd combination of flavors, but they looked terrible. So later on when he says to pay attention when grilling the tortillas, he means it. We learned the lesson first hand by leaving the grilled shrimp quesadillas unchecked for maybe a minute. I urge you to give this a shot and when you do, to keep close when you put the tortillas on the grill. Now I’ll hand it over to him to give you the step by step. picture by picture, instructions…
On our yearly trip to Dauphin Island, Alabama, we stay at a condo on the beach and wake up everyday to surf pounding the beach, salt in the air, and seagulls cawing in the sky, all things we are not used to having in abundance being from the Midwest. We are also inundated with fresh seafood that we can’t find in St. Louis outside of Bob’s Seafood, but that’s a hike for us since we live on the other side of town from Bob’s. With so many seafood options, we’re always trying to find new ways to cook it. Earlier this year I tried my hand at these grilled shrimp quesadillas. They were a huge hit so I felt it worthy to share with you. There are several layers of flavor to tickle your taste buds in this grilling recipe.
Grilled Shrimp Quesadillas Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, chopped
6 tbsp apricot preserves, divided six times
1 bunch of scallions/green onions chopped (option: substitute chives)
6 (10 inch) flour tortillas
6 slices of Jalapeno Havarti (substitute regular Harvarti if you would like)
18 large Gulf shrimp peeled, deveined, and grilled
2 oz of Cajun blackened seasoning
2 tbsp butter, melted and divided
Serves 6
The Ingredients
Let’s take a closer look at the gulf shrimp next to my Crackberry for size reference:
Who says Jumbo Shrimp is an Oxymoron?
These beauties were obtained from Skinner’s Seafood Shop on Dauphin Island during our annual visit. I typically bring back a couple of coolers of fresh gulf shrimp that the lovely staff, Gloria and Kelly, at Skinner’s have headed for me. I then return to the seaside condo and place shrimp into freezer bags, fill with water, seal, and stash them in the freezer to prepare for the trip home. Shrimp frozen with this method, essentially in a block of ice, will keep up to 2 years and be fresh when thawed.
Now the gulf shrimp are peeled and are ready to become part of this grilled shrimp recipe:
Ready for the grill
Mushrooms are an integral part of this grilling recipe so I will take the opportunity to share my obsession with preparing mushrooms. Take a look at the two ‘shrooms shown below:
Notice the difference?
The one on the right looks like it just came out of the package while the one on the left appears pristine. To achieve that pure-as-driven-snow appearance I’ve simply peeled the outer layer of skin. My elder sister illustrated this technique for me years ago and it’s become standard operating procedure in my kitchen. No brushing, no washing, just skin the ‘shrooms!
First pull the stem to get to the edge of the skin:
Pull the stem
Next reach under the crown and carefully begin to remove the outer skin:
Start to peal the skin
Peel a layer then another and notice how beautiful the cap is becoming:
Layer after layer
Continue around the cap until all the outer skin is removed:
Pealing some more
Almost done
Finished! Now the ‘shrooms match in all their beauty:
Pealed
And it doesn’t really take that long, maybe 3 seconds a mushrooms. So…next time you dine out ask the kitchen staff if they peel their mushrooms. It should evoke an interesting response.
Now back to the recipe. My Shun (pronounced shoon) chef’s knife makes short work of slicing the gorgeous mushrooms:
Slicing
Then a rough chop:
Dicing
Next, scallions chopped, green stalks only:
Chopped Scallions
***Editor’s Note ~ Now if you’re thinking that knife looks pretty slick, it is. It might the coolest knife on the planet. It is ridiculously ergonomic and comes with this uber cool stand. It feels like an extension of your hand. I have some serious knife envy:
You can buy one of these amazing blades by clicking here: Ken Onion by Shun DM0500 8-Inch Chef’s Knife. Back to your regularly scheduled grilling recipe***
Add a tablespoonful of apricot preserves to each flour tortilla for this grilled shrimp quesadilla recipe and spread it on half:
Start filling the tortillas
Some on each
Spread it on half the tortilla
Distribute scallions evenly over the preserves:
Spread the Scallions
Now a layer of cheese, I used jalapeno Havarti to contrast with the sweetness of the preserves. A little sweet and a little heat!
Add some cheese
The tortillas are properly staged and I’ll move to the grill for the next steps.
Pour a bit of olive oil into a hot cast iron skillet that was placed over the hot coals to begin:
Nothing better than Cast Iron
Add mushrooms and butter to the heat, cook, and reserve off the heat to add to the tortillas later:
Add the mushrooms
Cook them down
If you don’t have a cast iron pan, you are missing out. Nothing cooks better than cast iron. You can get one here Lodge Cast Iron Logic American Made Grill Pan – 10.25″
Dust the gulf shrimp with Cajun blackened seasoning, in this case Crawdad’s Classics.
Kick up the flavor profile of the shrimp
Toss ‘em on the grill, brush with melted butter and let the fireworks begin!
Shrimps on the Barbie
Flame Smooched
These beauties appear to be perfectly done!
Ready to EAT!
The mushrooms are carefully spooned onto each tortilla:
Add to the Tortillas
The grilled shrimp are gathered into the mushroom skillet to bathe in the remaining butter for a short while:
Soak up that Fantastic Flavor
Three large grilled shrimp are added to each tortilla then folded over to prepare for a trip to the grill. If you only have small shrimp simply add more onto each tortilla:
Oh My!
Now THAT’S a Quesadilla!
The grilled shrimp quesadillas are basted with melted butter on one side then placed over the coals while the opposite side is coated:
Brush on that butter
On the grill and more butter
Monitor the grilled shrimp quesadillas closely while over direct fire as they will burn quickly. Once grill marks are achieved, turn, and repeat till both sides are so marked then they are ready to be removed from the grill:
Tortillas Browned
Pull them from the grill as they get done, not all at once or you will burn some of them
Grilled shrimp quesadillas plated and ready to serve:
Dinner is Served
I prefer to cut the Grilled Shrimp Quesadillas into smaller triangles which would also be a perfect appetizer size. Don’t forget the appropriate beverage like this Duckhorn Sauv Blanc!
Appetizers are Served
This recipe contains a variety of flavors from the savory grilled shrimp, sweet preserves, and spicy rub, as well as many textures from the gooey cheese, the spongy mushrooms, and crispy tortillas that is a must add to any grill repertoire.
If you would like to see other grilled seafood recipes, click here.
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