Grilled Shrimp Quesadillas

Dad shared this recipe with me back in May, but, well, we put them on a wicked hot fire and stepped away to grab an adult beverage. It took just that long for them to burn. The flavor was still fantastic with this odd combination of flavors, but they looked terrible. So later on when he says to pay attention when grilling the tortillas, he means it. We learned the lesson first hand by leaving the grilled shrimp quesadillas unchecked for maybe a minute. I urge you to give this a shot and when you do, to keep close when you put the tortillas on the grill. Now I’ll hand it over to him to give you the step by step. picture by picture, instructions…

On our yearly trip to Dauphin Island, Alabama, we stay at a condo on the beach and wake up everyday to surf pounding the beach, salt in the air, and seagulls cawing in the sky, all things we are not used to having in abundance being from the Midwest. We are also inundated with fresh seafood that we can’t find in St. Louis outside of Bob’s Seafood, but that’s a hike for us since we live on the other side of town from Bob’s. With so many seafood options, we’re always trying to find new ways to cook it. Earlier this year I tried my hand at these grilled shrimp quesadillas. They were a huge hit so I felt it worthy to share with you. There are several layers of flavor to tickle your taste buds in this grilling recipe.

Grilled Shrimp Quesadillas Ingredients:

1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms, chopped
6 tbsp apricot preserves, divided six times
1 bunch of scallions/green onions chopped (option: substitute chives)
6 (10 inch) flour tortillas
6 slices of Jalapeno Havarti (substitute regular Harvarti if you would like)
18 large Gulf shrimp peeled, deveined, and grilled
2 oz of Cajun blackened seasoning
2 tbsp butter, melted and divided

Serves 6

The Ingredients

Let’s take a closer look at the gulf shrimp next to my Crackberry for size reference:

Who says Jumbo Shrimp is an Oxymoron?

These beauties were obtained from Skinner’s Seafood Shop on Dauphin Island during our annual visit. I typically bring back a couple of coolers of fresh gulf shrimp that the lovely staff, Gloria and Kelly, at Skinner’s have headed for me. I then return to the seaside condo and place shrimp into freezer bags, fill with water, seal, and stash them in the freezer to prepare for the trip home. Shrimp frozen with this method, essentially in a block of ice, will keep up to 2 years and be fresh when thawed.

Now the gulf shrimp are peeled and are ready to become part of this grilled shrimp recipe:

Ready for the grill

Mushrooms are an integral part of this grilling recipe so I will take the opportunity to share my obsession with preparing mushrooms. Take a look at the two ‘shrooms shown below:

Notice the difference?

The one on the right looks like it just came out of the package while the one on the left appears pristine. To achieve that pure-as-driven-snow appearance I’ve simply peeled the outer layer of skin. My elder sister illustrated this technique for me years ago and it’s become standard operating procedure in my kitchen. No brushing, no washing, just skin the ‘shrooms!

First pull the stem to get to the edge of the skin:

Pull the stem

Next reach under the crown and carefully begin to remove the outer skin:

Start to peal the skin

Peel a layer then another and notice how beautiful the cap is becoming:

Layer after layer

Continue around the cap until all the outer skin is removed:

Pealing some more

Almost done

Finished! Now the ‘shrooms match in all their beauty:

Pealed

And it doesn’t really take that long, maybe 3 seconds a mushrooms. So…next time you dine out ask the kitchen staff if they peel their mushrooms. It should evoke an interesting response.

Now back to the recipe. My Shun (pronounced shoon) chef’s knife makes short work of slicing the gorgeous mushrooms:

Slicing

Then a rough chop:

Dicing

Next, scallions chopped, green stalks only:

Chopped Scallions

***Editor’s Note ~ Now if you’re thinking that knife looks pretty slick, it is. It might the coolest knife on the planet. It is ridiculously ergonomic and comes with this uber cool stand. It feels like an extension of your hand. I have some serious knife envy:

You can buy one of these amazing blades by clicking here: Ken Onion by Shun DM0500 8-Inch Chef’s Knife. Back to your regularly scheduled grilling recipe***

Add a tablespoonful of apricot preserves to each flour tortilla for this grilled shrimp quesadilla recipe and spread it on half:

Start filling the tortillas

Some on each

Spread it on half the tortilla

Distribute scallions evenly over the preserves:

Spread the Scallions

Now a layer of cheese, I used jalapeno Havarti to contrast with the sweetness of the preserves. A little sweet and a little heat!

Add some cheese

The tortillas are properly staged and I’ll move to the grill for the next steps.

Pour a bit of olive oil into a hot cast iron skillet that was placed over the hot coals to begin:

Nothing better than Cast Iron

Add mushrooms and butter to the heat, cook, and reserve off the heat to add to the tortillas later:

Add the mushrooms

Cook them down

If you don’t have a cast iron pan, you are missing out. Nothing cooks better than cast iron. You can get one here Lodge Cast Iron Logic American Made Grill Pan – 10.25″

Dust the gulf shrimp with Cajun blackened seasoning, in this case Crawdad’s Classics.

Kick up the flavor profile of the shrimp

Toss ‘em on the grill, brush with melted butter and let the fireworks begin!

Shrimps on the Barbie

Flame Smooched

These beauties appear to be perfectly done!

Ready to EAT!

The mushrooms are carefully spooned onto each tortilla:

Add to the Tortillas

The grilled shrimp are gathered into the mushroom skillet to bathe in the remaining butter for a short while:

Soak up that Fantastic Flavor

Three large grilled shrimp are added to each tortilla then folded over to prepare for a trip to the grill. If you only have small shrimp simply add more onto each tortilla:

Oh My!

Now THAT’S a Quesadilla!

The grilled shrimp quesadillas are basted with melted butter on one side then placed over the coals while the opposite side is coated:

Brush on that butter

On the grill and more butter

Monitor the grilled shrimp quesadillas closely while over direct fire as they will burn quickly. Once grill marks are achieved, turn, and repeat till both sides are so marked then they are ready to be removed from the grill:

Tortillas Browned

Pull them from the grill as they get done, not all at once or you will burn some of them

Grilled shrimp quesadillas plated and ready to serve:

Dinner is Served

I prefer to cut the Grilled Shrimp Quesadillas into smaller triangles which would also be a perfect appetizer size. Don’t forget the appropriate beverage like this Duckhorn Sauv Blanc!

Appetizers are Served

This recipe contains a variety of flavors from the savory grilled shrimp, sweet preserves, and spicy rub, as well as many textures from the gooey cheese, the spongy mushrooms, and crispy tortillas that is a must add to any grill repertoire.

If you would like to see other grilled seafood recipes, click here.

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Click Here To Print Recipe Sheet

Grilled Shrimp Quesadillas

Sweet, spicy, and savory shrimp quesadillas made entirely on the grill.

Author: Greg Thomas

Cuisine: BBQ

Recipe type: Entree

Serves: 6

Prep time:  30 mins

Cook time:  30 mins

Total time:  1 hour

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• ½ lb fresh mushrooms, chopped
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 6 tbsp apricot preserves, divided six times
• 1 bunch of scallions/green onions chopped (option: substitute chives)
• 6 (10 inch) flour tortillas
• 6 slices of Jalapeno Havarti (substitute regular Harvarti if you would like)
• 18 large Gulf shrimp peeled, deveined, and grilled
• 2 oz of Cajun blackened seasoning
• 2 tbsp butter, melted and divided

Instructions

1. Space the tortillas around a cutting board
2. Spread 1 tbsp of the apricot preserves onto one half of one side of each tortilla
3. Sprinkle the chopped green onions on the preserves
4. Place a half slice of cheese on top of the preserves and scallions
5. Place an oven safe pan (preferably a cast iron pan) on the fire and add a tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp of butter
6. Put the mushrooms in the pan and sauté till soft and brown
7. Dust the shrimp with your favorite rub
8. Place the shrimp on the grill and brush with the remaining melted butter
9. When the shrimp has firmed up and become opaque, add three to each quesadilla as well as some of the mushrooms
10. Place the other half of the cheese on top of the shrimp and mushrooms and fold the tortilla over to make the quesadilla
11. Brush the top of the quesadilla with melted butter
12. Place the quesadillas on the grill, butter side down and then brush the other side
13. Pay close attention, the shells will cook quickly
14. Flip over when the tortilla is browned and repeat
15. Remove from the heat when both sides are browned

Notes

Allow these to rest not so the juices redistribute like a steak, because they will be like molten lava in the middle.

3.2.1226

1. 

   Rachelle says:

   May 14, 2013 at 11:36 PM

   Oh my gosh! I can’t wait to try these. Seriously! Yum! I love shrimp tacos and enchiladas. I know these will be amazing.

   reply