Blood Orange Olive Oil and Pacific Spice Grilled Shrimp

Are you ready for another recipe? How about a tantalizing shrimp appetizer, that could possibly even double as a main entree,,, let's say if you were having tacos. I found a very special relationship with the Pacific Spice Vinegar and the Blood Orange olive oil,,,oh and the salt block as well!

Blood Orange Olive Oil and Pacific Spice Grilled Shrimp

Ingredients:

Shrimp
1/3 cup Blood Orange Olive Oil
1/8 cup Pacific Spice Vinegar
1/2 cup Italian flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 teaspoons chopped garlic, or to taste
1 jalapeno, sliced ( seeds removed if wanted)
salt ( if not using a salt block) and pepper to taste

Combine blood orange olive oil, pacific spice, parsley, garlic, jalapeno, and s/p. Pour on top of shrimp, let marinate for 1-4 hours or over night.

Place salt block on grill, preheat grill on med-high. Add shrimp to salt block. Grill for about 8-10 minutes, or until shrimp is done.

Or, to bake in the oven:
Preheat oven to 375*
Bake in oven for 8 minutes or until done.

Serve as an appetizer or have serve with tacos. Enjoy!

Guest recipe: Olive Oil Appetizer

Joan Smith from Castle Ridge Olive Oil shared this great recipe with us!

She wrote: This appetizer is quite attractive and can be served as an appetizer or on each plate to greet the guests as they are seated for dinner.  Serve in a spoon shaped dish - like the porcelain spoons used for soup. Square shaped spoons are available at Pier One or other specialty shops and plastic appetizer spoons are available on the internet.

Also for a gluten-free alternative, see the note below.

Serves 8 guests

Ingredients:     

½ C Castle Ridge Olive Oil (with a 1/4tsp of lemon zest blended in if you choose!)

1/4 C buttermilk

½ cucumber (be certain it is sweet, not bitter - always taste cucumbers before serving) chopped into small pieces - about the size of a square pea!

16 cherry tomatoes or 2 tomatoes - Sliced into small pieces and seeds/liquid discarded.

½ C toasted Panko (or bread crumbs)  - place crumbs in small pan with 1 t of butter and stir fry for a few minutes until crumbs are buttery and crisp. 
Garnish with a few grains of sea salt.

Assemble: Place ½ t of olive oil in spoon and 3 drops of buttermilk (about 1/4 t).   Place 1tsp of cucumbers, 1 tsp of tomatoes (hopefully they are really sweet tomatoes!), and top with Panko crumbs.

Gluten free alternatives for crumbs: grated red radish, grated daikon radish or chopped cilantro!

            

 Enjoy the left over ingredients on your salad the next day.

Basil EVOO watermelon skewers

Okay, are you up to something that will WOW your guests? I have the best, and I do mean BEST appetizer for you! How about watermelon paired with Quail & Olive California Basil EVOO for a tantalizing experience?? I bet no one else will bring this and once you start eating, well lets just say it is hard to only go for one helping! Oh and did I mention this is a fabulous activity to involve your children or grandchildren.

Ingredients:

Cubed watermelon
Feta cheese, cut in squares
24 basil leaves
Skewers
Quail & Olive California Basil EVOO

Directions:

Cut up watermelon into cubes, seeds removed.
Cut up feta into cubes
Wash and remove bail leaves

Take a skewer and thread a cube of watermelon, basil and feta. Arrange on platter. Then drizzle Quail & Olive California Basil EVOO over watermelon. Yum!