However it comes about, the shrimp I prepare in the summer seem to taste better than any other time of the year. And, I attribute that to two things: the marinade and the cooking method (which is on the barbeque, as you probably gathered from my references to seasonal weather conditions...). I can't think that it's any big secret, but by marinating shrimp and grilling them, the flavor is heightened by concentration, and I think it makes the best out of everything that is good in them.
The marinade I use is very simple: for a pound of 51-60 count shrimp, the juice of a small lemon or lime, 1/4 t. each of onion and garlic powder, and smoked Spanish paprika, S&P, and 1 T. olive oil. I put it all in a plastic bag and let it sit in the fridge while I prepare a fire outside. When the fire is hot, and the grill is clean, load them on 6" skewers that have been soaked (usually 6 to a stick) and then I cook them until opaque, and the edges and tails are charred but not black.
For some reason I tend to like shrimp with rice, or a combination of rice and veggies like I did here (perhaps I'm wishing, deep down, that I was eating paella...).
