Grilled Jerk Shrimp with Aji Panca Sauce

Jerk Shrimp with Aji Panca, Avocado and Quinoa Tabouleh

Note how the sauce coats the shrimp

 

 

Aji Panca is one of the weaker members of the chili pepper family. The heat level is about 1500 on the Scoville Scale (slightly hotter than a Jalapeno). Aji Panca is a type of chile pepper that is commonly grown in Peru, and frequently used in Peruvian cuisine. It is dark red, mild pepper with a smoky, fruity taste. It's often sold dried, or prepared into a paste. You can find the dried peppers and jarred paste in Latin food stores. To a “Pepperhead”, the paste tastes just like tomato paste with very little spiciness to it. However, it compliments other hotter sauces and seasonings well, and when balanced with sweetness, creates a sauce of good complexity, depth and heat! It pairs well with shrimp, especially when grilled. This broiled/grilled shrimp is the result of mixing the two seasonings. The leftovers (if any are left) go great in a seafood noodle soup recipe, similar to the one published in my earlier post. I paired this with a Quinoa Tabouleh, and Avocado. 

Ingredients

Jerk seasoning (wet or dry, I used dry)

½ lb raw shrimp, cleaned, and deveined

1 tsp honey

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp Aji Panca Paste

1 tsp Marukan Vinegar (I suppose ordinary vinegar could also be used)

1 tbsp cooking oil

1 tbsp Sriracha sauce (or Garlic Chili sauce could be substituted)

Method

1. Season the clean shrimp liberally with the Jerk Seasoning
2. Add the salt, honey, vinegar, Sriracha, cooking oil, and Aji Panca paste. Mix well and allow it to marinate for about 20 minutes.
3. Place the shrimp on a rack in a small roasting tray lined with foil (makes cleanup easier), and place under broiler until shrimp are cooked. I turn them once just to get a char on both sides.