We are really big shrimp lovers in this house – especially me! So when OXO emailed me and asked me if I wanted to participate in the #ShrimpShowdown, I gladly jumped at the chance, especially when they said I could give away an amazing prize of kitchen tools and a Visa gift card (keep reading!).
OXO sent me a box of kitchen tools to use (including Shrimp Cleaner, Flexible Kitchen & Herb Snips, Silicone Steamer, Wooden Lemon Reamer, 3 Piece Bowl and Colander Set
and 12″ Tongs with Silicone Heads) and Eastern Fish Company partnered with The NFI Shrimp Council and sent 5 pounds of Wild (chemical free) Shrimp. I knew the Shrimp were going to be large but when they arrived, they were even bigger than I expected. At 15 shrimp per pound, I think these are considered Colossal Shrimp.
Since it was warm and sunny here in Seattle the day the Shrimp arrived, I knew right away I wanted to make something that screamed Spring and was full of bright, vibrant color and flavor. I immediately thought of a Green Tahini Sauce recipe I had ripped out of January’s Bon Appetit Magazine and decided to make a chilled dish combining the huge, beautiful Shrimp, my version of the green sauce with quickly blanched Zucchini Noodles and asparagus.
This dish turned out even better than I expected. We had company (how do you use up 5 pounds of Shrimp yourself right?) and everyone loved the dish so much they said it tasted like a restaurant dish and they would happily pay to eat it. I scaled the recipe to five servings to make it easier and more realistic for you to cook since I am assuming that 99% are not buying 5 pounds of Colossal Shrimp anytime soon.
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!
Shrimp In Green Sauce over Zucchini Noodles and Blanched Asparagus. Paleo Shrimp Recipe.
- 2 1/2 pounds uncooked Colossal Shrimp 15 per pound, deveined, shells removed, tails left in tact
- 8 medium organic zucchini squash spiralized and blanched
- 1 pound asparagus ends trimmed, cut into 2" pieces on the diagonal and blanched
- freshly ground black pepper for serving
- drizzle of high quality Extra Virgin Olive Oil for serving
- 3 medium cloves garlic
- 1 1/2 cups watercress leaves
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
- 1/2 cup tahini
- 2 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
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Begin by removing the shells from the shrimp. I like to save the shells to make Shrimp Stock (recipe coming soon!). I usually just peel them off and place the shells in a freezer bag.
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Grab a paring knife or the OXO Shrimp Cleaner and remove the veins from the back of each shrimp.
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Next up, prepare your zucchini noodles. Click here for my tutorial on how to make Zucchini Noodles with either a mandoline or a spiralizer. For this recipe, I chose to leave the skins on the zucchini to save time and because they the sauce is green, they don't stand out.
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Peel garlic, trim ends of asparagus and cut on the diagonal into 2" pieces. Trim or pull the leaves off of the watercress, mint and parsley. Squeeze lemons and grab olive oil and spices.[img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0636-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12110"][img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0621-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12102"][img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0622-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12103"]
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Fill a large pot with water and a couple of spoonfuls of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Once boiling, submerge zucchini noodles and cook for 1 minute. Drain well, use tongs or hands to squeeze out any excess water and set aside in a colander to continue draining while you cook remaining ingredients. The zucchini noodles will give off the most moisture and it's important to get as much out as possible so they don't totally water down the green sauce.[img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0640-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12113"] [img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0641-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12114"][img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0642-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12115"]
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Refill the pot with water and kosher salt. Set a steamer basket into pot and bring to a boil. Prepare an ice bath in the sink by filling a large bowl or container with ice and cold water.
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Once water is boiling, add watercress, mint and parsley leaves along with garlic to steamer basket (make sure they are submerged). Blanch for 30 seconds and immediately remove to ice bath. [img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0625-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12104"][img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0627-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12105"]
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Drain watercress, herbs and garlic from ice bath, squeeze out excess water and place in the bowl of the food processor. Prepare another ice bath for the remaining ingredients.
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Repeat with asparagus. Once water is boiling, submerge asparagus and cook for 2 minutes, remove basket and dump asparagus into ice bath. Use tongs to remove asparagus after approximately 30 seconds and set aside to drain.[img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0639-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12112"]
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Finally, submerge shrimp in basket of boiling water. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until pink and slightly firm to the touch. I recommend testing one to make sure they are cooked through. Take care not to overcook the shrimp, drain and immediately place in ice bath. Once cooled, drain from ice bath and set aside.[img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0629-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12106"][img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0630-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12107"]
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Add tahini, lemon juice, salt, red pepper flakes and cold water to bowl of food processor (drained and squeezed watercress, herbs and garlic should already be in there).[img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0632-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12108"]
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Process until smooth, slowly adding in olive oil, until sauce is a bright green color. Adjust seasoning if necessary.[img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0634-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12109"]
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In a large serving bowl, combine cooked and drained zucchini noodles, asparagus, shrimp and 3/4 of green sauce, reserving the rest of the sauce for serving. Toss until well coated. Cover and chill until ready to serve (at least one hour for flavors to meld).[img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0643-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12116"][img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0644-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12117"][img src="http://www.everydaymaven.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/IMG_0645-533x400.jpg" alt="" width="533" height="400" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-12118"]
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Serve topped with a drizzle of remaining green sauce, a drizzle of high quality extra virgin olive oil and some freshly cracked pepper. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.
Ali @ Inspiralized says
Great use of zoodles!! Love this.
EverydayMaven says
Thanks Ali! 🙂
Audra says
Love, love your recipe for the #shrimpshowdown! Those shrimp were absolutely delicious and so tender, I was truly impressed. Your zucchini noodles also look amazing! Pinning this beautiful recipe because I will definitely be trying it soon!
EverydayMaven says
Thank you so much Audra!
kellie@foodtoglow says
Holy yum!! This looks fantastic! It is weird that although we have huge prawns (langoustines) over here they are mainly sent abroad. We are largely stuck with shrimpy shrimps and expensive too. Lucky you! Regardless of size any shrimp would be exceedingly tasty with this fab sauce. PS I didn’t end up with a spiralizer but I do have a selection of nifty julienne peelers that work pretty well. Not as lovely as the spirals though 😉
EverydayMaven says
That is strange Kellie! You need to keep some of those monster shrimp for yourselves. 🙂
Reggie says
Oh this recipe so inspired me today – I’m in the Northeast and it’s snowing out! I want Spring and this recipe is it. We didn’t have shrimp or squash so we used pork cubes and wrapped them in rice wrappers (I know, not Paleo) with spinach and spring greens and made the green sauce we even had to make our own sesame paste because we were out. DELICIOUS! Thanks for a wonderful recipe and when squash is in season again, we’ll try it this way – love this substitution for pasta! Have a great day
EverydayMaven says
I can not believe it is still snowing in the NE! That is crazy. So glad this recipe inspired a bit of Spring into your kitchen!
Julie @ Julie's Eats & Treats says
Wow I’m wishing this was what I was eating tonight! This look amazing!!
EverydayMaven says
Thanks Julie! 🙂
Val @BonBon Break says
I could not pin these fast enough! Isn’t the silicone basket a game changer? I love it.
EverydayMaven says
Thanks so much Val! I have to say, of all of the tools OXO sent, the silicone basket is by far my favorite!
Alice // Hip Foodie Mom says
Alyssa, LOVE this recipe!!!! Can’t wait to try it!!
EverydayMaven says
I hope you love it Alice!
Leah | So, How's It Taste? says
Love zucchini noodles for pasta! I could eat a vat of this. It looks so good!
EverydayMaven says
Thanks Leah!
Liz says
I need a spiralizer ASAP! What a magnificent shrimp dish!!
EverydayMaven says
Liz, the spiralizer is AWESOME! This is the perfect time of year to get one because you can spiralize a lot of Spring and Summer fruit and veg!
Heather // girlichef says
I’m with them – I would totally pay for this dish. It looks so darn tasty, Alyssa! That sauce…those noodles…that beautiful colossal shrimp ;).
EverydayMaven says
Thanks Heather! I can’t wait to head over and check out what you made 🙂