Foodstuff: Grill, baby, grill

Fall is hard-core falling. After drying out from a few super-soaker days (“We need the moisture!!”), I day-tripped, heading up toward Ruedi Reservoir recently for a last-blast-of-summer paddle board adventure. Green was turning gold, meaning it’s almost time for cozy soup season, but I don’t think I’m quite ready to get rid of summer cooking (or SUPing) just yet.

To that end, I’m getting outside at home as much as possible and using my grill any chance I can. I also still have zucchini coming out of my ears, but I think this may be the last week for it (sniff, sniff). I pulled out a tried-and-true recipe from one of my favorite Giada De Laurentiis cookbooks, “Giada’s Feel Good Food,” a 2013 gem which is also available on the Giadzy.com website (Subscribers get full access — highly recommend). 

Shrimp, zucchini, and avocado lettuce wraps

Serves 4

FOR THE SALAD:

• Quarter of a cup plus one teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• Two tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• One garlic clove, minced
• Zest of one large lemon
• Three tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves only, chopped
• Two tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
• Quarter of a teaspoon kosher salt
• Quarter of a teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• One pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 24 shrimp)
• One medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
• One medium avocado, cut into half-inch pieces

FOR THE DRESSING:

• Two tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• Two tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• One tablespoons light agave nectar
• One teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Quarter of a teaspoon kosher salt
• Quarter of a teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• One head butter lettuce, separated into leaves

To make the salad, mix quarter of a cup oil, soy sauce, garlic, lemon zest, parsley, chives, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Add shrimp and toss until coated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. 

Brush zucchini halves with remaining teaspoon oil. Grill until tender, four to five minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board. Grill shrimp until pink and cooked through, two to three minutes per side. Transfer to the cutting board. When cooled enough to handle, chop zucchini and shrimp into half-inch pieces.

In a small bowl, make the dressing by whisking together oil, lemon juice, agave, mustard, salt, and pepper until smooth. 

In a large bowl, combine shrimp, zucchini and avocado. Add dressing and toss gently until combined. Using a slotted spoon, spoon mixture into lettuce leaves for serving. 

Take note: I have no notes! These came out perfectly, and I followed the recipe to the letter. The wraps were so, so good, better than I even expected, despite my incredibly high expectations for everything my queen Giada produces.

The leftovers were also great the next day at room temperature. I had a bit of filling left over and spooned that over brown rice, as directed by the cookbook. And the grilling was a snap! So enjoy your al fresco eating opportunities while you can get ’em. I’ll be over here, oohing and ahhing over the foliage, and crying into the last of my summer squash. 

Katherine Roberts is a mid-Valley based writer and marketing professional who, if you couldn’t tell, has conflicting feelings about autumn. She can be reached via her marketing and communications firm, Carington Creative, at katherine@caringtoncreative.com.