Monday, September 12, 2011

Shrimp, Black Bean, and Pineapple Foil Packets

I didn’t make this dinner. Joe actually made it on a rainy Tuesday while I was sitting in traffic trying to get home from the hospital. I had asked him to prep a couple of the things. Mostly, I was hoping that he would peel the shrimp because I despise peeling shrimp. Not only did he prep a few ingredients, but when I walked in the door, the foil packets were on the grill.

Granted, we had a short window for dinner due to our new membership in our condominium bridge game on Tuesday nights. We’re the youngest people by about 30 years, but if two 96 year-old women are playing, there must be something about it keeping the mind sharp. Neither Joe nor I had played in 8-10 years, but they were patient with us and answered our questions when we couldn’t figure out how to bid. Joe even ended up being the highest scorer of the night and took home the grand prize of $5.

So I can’t tell you much about the preparation of this meal, but I can tell you that the shrimp were really juicy and not at all dry or rubbery like shrimp can be. The foil packet method was especially easy for clean-up, and the citrus flavors of the lime and pineapple gave it a Latin-Caribbean vibe. Hopefully we’ll get to use the grill well into October, but this was a quintessentially summer meal.

IMG_0719

Shrimp, Black Bean, and Pineapple Foil Packets
source: Cara’s Cravings
Yields 2 servings

Ingredients

8oz raw, medium sized shrimp (peeled, deveined)
1 cup cooked black beans
3/4 cup finely diced pineapple
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons minced jalapeno pepper
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons lime juice, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin, divided
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
pinch of salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/2 avocado, diced
Lettuce wrap, quinoa, couscous, or whole wheat tortilla for serving

Preparation

Preheat grill to medium.
Rinse the shrimp and pat dry. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper. Toss to coat. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the black beans, pineapple, red onion, jalapeno, and ginger. Stir in 1 tablespoon lime juice, coriander, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin.
Spray two large pieces of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Spoon half of the black bean mixture into the center of each and top with half of the shrimp. Squeeze the remaining lime juice over the shrimp. Bring the edges of the foil together and fold down, sealing well.
Place the foil packets on the grill, cover, and cook for 10-12 minutes, until shrimp are opaque.
Carefully open the foil packets and stir the contents. Top with the diced avocado and sprinkle with cilantro.