Pep up your summer barbecue with these amazing polynesian-style shrimp, served as an appetizer or a main course. They are sweet and salty and spicy all at once, and absolutely amazing served with fresh mango salsa. Be sure to make enough -- they'll disappear fast!
- 2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 1 bunch green onions, coarsely shopped
- 1 cup salted macadamia nuts
- 1/4 cup fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flake, or to taste
- 1/4 -1/2 cup vegetable oil
- salt and pepper to taste
Rinse shrimp and pat dry with paper towels. Add to a large zip-top bag and place in fridge while making pesto.
To make pesto, add all remaining ingredients to a food processor and process until pureed but not liquefied, adding more oil as needed to reach desired consistency. Add pesto to bag with shrimp, squeeze out excess air, and seal bag. Massage shrimp to distribute pesto, and refrigerate for at least one hour or overnight.
Preheat grill to medium high heat.
Remove shrimp from bag, leaving as much pesto attached as possible. Add shrimp to skewers or place in a grill basket to keep them from falling through the grate of the grill. Place shrimp on grill and cook, turning once, for a total of about 4-5 minutes or until just cooked through.
Serve with mango salsa or puree as an appetizer, or over rice as a main course.
