Al Fresco Dining - Grilled Shrimps with a "Summer" Mix Sauce

Now back to regular programming :) Hopefully you have all seen the blog post that I collaborated with Wayfair.ca on, if not, have no fear... you can check it out right here -> Al Freso Dining - My Dream Patio! So to keep in line with the theme of dreamy al fresco dining, I'm sharing a delicious, fresh and summery recipe - perfect for a summer patio meal! My recipe for Grilled Shrimp with a "Summer" Mix Sauce is really easy to make and it pairs well with my Mango & Pepita Quinoa Salad!

Take a peek at a yummy and health summer meal! But be warned, these shrimps are addictive... once you pop you can't stop :) lol

This recipe was inspired by an episode of Lidia's Kitchen I saw a few months ago, she made a super simple dressing to accompany her grilled shrimps! I thought I would add my own flavours to create what I call a 'Summer' mix sauce. So, you know the pre-packaged salad you find at the grocery store called 'Spring Mix',??? This usually contains baby spinach, baby kale and arugula....how perfect for a light summery sauce! I used some pre-packaged spring mix, blended it with garlic, extra virgin olive oil and green onions and used this as my marinade & sauce! It came out really really delicious :) The garlic and arugula lent their peppery flavours to the sauce quite nicely and it paired perfectly with the shrimp. Not overbearing at all, keeping the flavours fresh and summery :)

The shrimp were cooked on a hot cast iron pan, but can definitely be grilled on the BBQ for that extra smokiness. The combination of freshly grilled shrimps and this light, flavorful sauce is perfect for an al fresco meal on your dream patio!

Keep reading for more pictures and the step by step recipe below :)

Grilled Shrimp with a "Summer" Mix Sauce

Makes 3/4 C of sauce

3 garlic cloves, peeled

3 C packed of Spring Mix salad (baby spinach, baby kale and arugula)

2 stalks of green onions, chopped roughly

1/2 C extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

12 oz of shrimps, with tail and peels on

1/2 tbsp olive oil

1. Make the sauce: In a food processor, add the garlic, spring mix, green onions, EVOO, salt and pepper and blend until smooth.

2. Grill the shrimp: Add in 1 tbsp of the sauce to the raw shrimp and stir to coat evenly (you don't really need to marinate, since we will be tossing the cooked shrimp in the sauce too). Add the extra olive oil into a hot cast iron pan (you can also grill these on the BBQ!) and cook the shrimp for about 1 minute each side, or until cooked through. Be careful not to overcook or else the shrimps will be very chewy and the shells will be difficult to peel off. Next, add the cooked shrimp and 2 tbsp of the summer mix sauce into a bowl and stir until all of the shrimps are coated.....and that is it!!! Get ready for a finger lickin' good time, this is definitely a meal to be enjoyed out doors, where you can get a lil messy :) Use any extra sauce for dipping at the table! Serve, devour & enjoy :)