Argentinian Shrimp Recipe

Toast and prepare crust

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Tear the pretzels into chunks and pulse in a food processor until coarse crumbs form (or grate/finely chop if no processor). Spread crumbs on a sheet pan and bake 6–8 minutes until dry and slightly crisp; watch to avoid burning. Remove and let cool.

Make flavored butter

Melt unsalted butter with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in smoked paprika and coarse salt, then remove from heat.

Combine warm butter with pretzel crumbs in a bowl and toss to coat evenly. Press crumb mixture onto the underside or rim of each serving piece (if making a tart or crostini base) or form into a thin crisp disc on parchment and chill 10 minutes to set. Keep warm or room temperature until plating.

Marinate shrimp

In a medium bowl combine 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1 minced garlic clove, 3/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Marinate 10–15 minutes at room temperature (no longer than 30 minutes).

Cook shrimp

Heat a heavy skillet or griddle over high heat until very hot. Add a small drizzle of oil if the pan is dry. Sear shrimp 1.5–2 minutes per side (depending on size) until opaque with a slight char. Remove from heat and rest 1–2 minutes. Reserve any pan juices for finishing.

Optional: For more Argentinian char, finish briefly over a hot grill for 30–45 seconds per side.

Make konro glaze

Whisk together 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp rice vinegar, 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a small bowl until sugar dissolves.

Grill pineapple

Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high. Brush pineapple rings/wedges lightly with oil. Grill 2–3 minutes per side until caramelized and grill marks appear. During the last minute brush both sides with konro glaze and let it caramelize for 30–45 seconds. Remove and keep warm.

Dress the salad

In a small bowl combine lime juice, 1 tsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp sea salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper. Gently toss diced avocado and thinly sliced watermelon radish with the dressing to coat, being careful not to mash the avocado.

Taste and adjust seasoning with more lime or salt if needed. Keep chilled until plating.

Plate: Place the pretzel crust disc or toasted pretzel base on each plate. Spoon a small bed of the avocado/watermelon radish salad onto the crust (or to the side if using crostini).

Top each portion with 3 grilled Argentinian shrimp, arranging attractively over the salad or beside the pineapple.

Add a grilled pineapple ring or wedge to each plate, leaning against the shrimp.

Finish by sprinkling chopped cilantro and microgreens over the dish, flake with a pinch of flaky sea salt, and serve with lime wedges on the side. If desired, drizzle a teaspoon of reserved shrimp pan juices over the shrimp for extra flavor.