Spicy Shrimp with a Spanish Partner

I love shrimp. So easy to make and so satisfying. But I’ll be honest, I hate shrimp cocktail. There’s just something about the cold, briny taste that overwhelms everything. And no, the cocktail sauce doesn’t help. The fact that it’s horseradish-based is equally repellent.

When I do shrimp, I want them grilled or sautéed – something with heat applied. I’ll usually grill a steak with a skewer of shrimp so I can enjoy a little surf-and-turf action.

Elevating My Shrimp Game

I had the day off after the Fourth of July, so I was planning out my menu for the day. We usually have some sort of cheese selection to keep our stomachs satisfied until the main course. That day I felt like shrimp, but I felt a little awkward just grilling them without a cocktail sauce at hand… and I wasn’t going to serve a horseradish sauce.

Lo and behold, I found one recipe for smoked shrimp skewers with a chipotle cocktail sauce. That immediately spoke to me:

Shrimp

• 5 lbs jumbo shrimp, deveined with tails in tact
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 scallions, white & green parts thinly sliced
• 1-2 txp red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Kosher salt & coarse black pepper
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Sauce

• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 tsp finely grated orange zest
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1-2 canned chipotle chiles, minced plus 2 tsp adobo sauce
• 2 tbsp finely diced white onion
• 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro

I mixed together the ingredients in a bowl and tossed the shrimp. After getting them on the wooden skewers, I fired up the Weber Smokey Mountain to 250 degrees using cherry and apple wood. I placed the shrimp on a baking rack and put them on the smoker.

After 20 minutes, I basted them with olive oil every ten minutes. In about 45 minutes, they were ready. The shrimp were tasty on their own, but the chipotle sauce really added a spicy and citrus element.

Perhaps not the first option that comes to mind on a hot day would be to serve an appetizer with some heat to it, but I’m a rebel. I break rules left and right. Don’t mess with me. I’ll take you down with me.

The Wine: 2019 Black Elk Travitana Cava Brut

It was a holiday weekend and the mood was celebratory. I had a chilled bottle of 2019 Black Elk Travitana Cava Brut, which I planned to sip while sitting on the deck. Then I thought, “Hey. Cava goes with almost anything light and/or spicy.” So I decided this would be my pairing.

Not that all Cavas are identical, but nose and the palate were what I expected: citrus, peach, yeast, and just a slight kick of zest and spice that can really liven the taste buds.

I love sparkling and used to be all about Prosecco. Then I began to drink more Cava, and now I’m definitely a convert. While Prosecco is light and refreshing, if you’re looking for something less sweet and with more versatility when it comes to food, it’s hard to beat Cava.

If you’re not that familiar with this varietal, here’s a brief overview from Wine-Searcher.com:

Cava is Spain’s iconic sparkling wine style, and the Iberian Peninsula’s answer to Champagne. The traditional grape varieties used in Cava were Macabeo, Parellada and Xarel-lo, but the Champagne grapes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are also now being used.

The heart of Cava production very much remains in San Sadurní de Noya. All of the scattered areas share similarities of climate, largely Mediterranean, with moderate rainfall.

Like many Cavas, this particular wine is made primarily from the Macebo grape:

Macabeo (or Viura in Rioja) is a white wine grape used on either side of the Pyrenees, in the north and east of Spain and the southernmost reaches of France. A relatively versatile grape, it is used in still, sparkling, dry and sweet wines. There are few universal truths about how Macabeo tastes; the wines can be fresh, floral and aromatic when harvested sufficiently early and aged in stainless steel, but weighty, honeyed and nutty when aged in oak and harvested slightly later.

With food or without, Cava is something every wine lover should have in his/her collection. It’s hard to beat it when you just feel like lounging on the deck or when you’re enjoying a light seafood dish that deserves a worthy partner.

Holiday or not, this pairing was worth celebrating.

Cheers!