It’s meze time! Appetizers! Backyard entertaining, offering an array of dishes through the evening with family, friends or both! With some prep, a little organization – one can serve an array of mezedes (appetizers) through the evening.I made this dish a couple of weeks ago, inspired by another shrimp dish I made with shrimp and almonds. Long ago, I coated large shrimp/prawns and fried them to a golden-brown and enjoyed every bit of shrimp. I almost ate the tails!

On this occasion, I wanted to incorporate almonds and shrimp again and make the dish work on the grill. Here, I made a savory paste of almonds, homemade bread crumbs, garlic, spices and herbs. Lemon zest also squeezes itself into the mix as seafood begs the company of citrus. Like in any dish, it excels when there are elements of savory, some heat, sour and some sweetness.

I’ve also been enjoying of late some green beans. I thought to incorporate beans in this meze as they are often also paired with almonds. I blanche the green beans then saute them quickly with some slices of garlic, olive oil and lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. The saute takes just as couple of minutes, with the blanching of the beans being conducted ahead of time and making the dish come together rather easily.

Garlic and shrimp – yes! Shrimp tossed in spices like paprika and Boukovo (chilli flakes), nutty and sweet  ground almonds and bread crumbs, lemon zest to freshen the dish and naturally sweet, succulent shrimp all served on crunchy green beans. I can taste the dish now.

Almond Stuffed Shrimp With Crunchy Green Beans

(appetizer for 4)

16 medium-sized shrimp, shelled and deveined

wooden skewers soaked in water

1/4 cup olive oil

salt to taste

Stuffing

16 almonds

1 clove of garlic

1 tsp. of ground allspice

1/2 tsp. of Boukovo (chilli flakes)

1 tsp. of sweet paprika

zest of 1/2 lemon

1 Tbsp. of olive oil

1 tsp. of fresh thyme leaves

sea salt to taste

Crunchy Green Beans

1/4 cup of extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups of green beans, washed and trimmed

2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced

salt and pepper to taste

lemon wedges for garnish

1. Place a pot of water on your stove-top and bring to a boil. Add a good amount of salt and when the water returns to a boil, add your green beans and boil for five minutes. Remove and place in an ice-cold water bath. Strain and reserve.
2. In the meantime, add your almonds, olive oil, garlic, allspice, Boukovo, paprika, lemon zest and bread crumbs and pulse until blended. Add a little olive oil if the mixture is still loose or some breadcrumbs if too wet. Adjust seasoning with salt to taste.
3. Take your shrimp our the fridge and peel and de-vein the shrimp. Rinse and pat-dry. Toss the shrimp in the olive oil and salt and pepper and secure on your wooden skewers.
4. Using your hands, smear the stuffing into the cavity of the shrimp that was created when you de-veined the shrimp (yes, it will adhere in the crevice).
5. Pre-heat your gas or charcoal grill. We want to achieve a medium-high heat. Brush the grill surface to remove any residue. In the meantime, place a skillet on your stove-top and over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and the garlic slices and as soon as the garlic starts to jump, add your beans and toss for a couple of minutes to heat through and take on the taste of the garlic and oil. Season with salt and pepper, take off the heat and keep warm.
6. Dab a paper towel with some vegetable oil and wipe the grill surface. Now carefully place your shrimp skewers on the grill and cook your shrimp for 1 1/2-2 minutes a side or until pink, then flip and grill other side until just pink.
7. Place your warm green beans on a platter and place the grilled shrimp on top and serve with lemon or lime wedges. Serve with a Gavalas Santorini, made of Assyrtiko and Aidani grapes.

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