It’s Springtime, and along with warmer temperatures (hopefully), leaves on the recently bare trees, and a proper sendoff to matzoh, the bread of affliction, in my house, Spring signifies open season for all things grilled. Unless you are my gutsy mother-in-law, who braves the Ohio winter’s harshest chills for the char that can only be left by a well-seasoned grill, chances are your bbq has been on hiatus for a few months. And I know that Summer is known for all the cookouts and bbqs, but hear me out for a bit.
Spring is by far my favorite season, but I only really learned to appreciate it while living in the Midwest. There’s nothing like a Midwestern winter to make you long for the renewals and rebirths that happen in Spring. I distinctly remember spending a solid three months (at least) of the year under a looming gray cloud, as I slushed my way through the snow (uphill both ways…), fighting my way through the subzero winds coming from the lake, on my way to class. I barely recognized my friends beneath their layers upon layers of winter gear, revealing only their eyes, unless, of course, I was lucky enough to hitch a ride on the Frostbite Express, which only ran on the coldest of cold days.
But the truth is, coming from a place whose seasons include Hot and Hotter, it took surviving the harshest of winters for me to truly appreciate the beauty and bounty of Spring. My first year in Chicago, I joined the masses in shorts and tanks as the temperature climbed to the 60s, when ordinarily, at home, I’d be donning my scarf and gloves. Everyone loved being outside, and we all stopped to smell the roses. Literally. No, really. We stopped, smelled the perfectly-shaped petals of the flowers that were in bloom, and then went on our merry way.
Despite no longer living in a climate with a harsh winter, I still notice the little things about Spring I took for granted before. Like yielding to the family of ducks crossing the road in my neighborhood every year. Or the turtles who finally poke their heads from the pond, in the hopes of catching a sun bath. And even though I grill year-round, there’s just something about the Springtime that makes me want to be outside. Maybe it’s a bit of residue from my Midwest days, who knows?
But hopefully, this recipe will make you want to get outside, too.
- 2 limes, zested and juiced
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 2 Tbs. honey
- 2 Tbs. olive oil
- Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
- 1 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 lbs. asparagus
- wooden skewers
- In a small bowl, combine the lime zest and juice, garlic, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper, to make the marinade. Add the shrimp, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least ½ hour.
- Meanwhile, soak wooden skewers.
- Once you are ready to cook, thread the shrimp onto the skewers as you heat the grill.
- Cut the tough ends off the asparagus, and season with salt, pepper, and olive oil.
- Grill asparagus over high heat for 4-5 minutes, or until grill marks appear, and stalks have slightly softened.
- Grill shrimp for about 2 minutes on each side, or when they have turned completely pink, and have curled.
- Serve immediately.
