Islander still dreams of long ago Nashville meal

Every so often, you come across one of those meals in a restaurant that you crave long after it’s over.

A long time ago in Nashville, I decided to order shrimp tacos. It isn’t usually the norm for me to order seafood in a non-coastal city, but the description was irresistible.

After recurring spicy shrimp dreams, I tried to reconstruct the recipe with my tastebud memories, and here’s the result.

DIABLO SHRIMP TACOS

Photo by Jennifer Reynolds

2 pounds of 16-20 shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup lime juice

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon chili powder

2-21⁄2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or to taste — I like spice)

Warmed corn tortillas

Shredded cabbage

Cilantro

Lime to garnish

Whisk oil, lime juice and seasoning together and pour over shrimp in a sealable plastic bag. Allow to marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Grill over medium heat just until they’re done. If you overcook them, they’ll be mushy.

Quickly warm tortillas on the grill. Place cabbage, a little cilantro and shrimp in tortilla and garnish with a lime for a little extra zip.

Find more on Facebook: Stephanie Vasut Cooks and Eats.