Jamaican Jerk Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Slaw

Shrimp tacos are a 15-minute dinner if you respect two rules: don't overcook the shrimp, and balance the heat with something cold and crunchy. The Jerk hits shrimp differently than chicken. They're smaller, they cook faster, so they want a short hard sear and an immediate hit of sauce at the end, not a long marinade. Same logic with the slaw, quick-pickled, sharp, sweet from the pineapple, doing the job that sour cream would do in a tex-mex taco but with more brightness. Charred corn tortillas, a squeeze of lime, eaten standing at the counter.

What you need

Food (shrimp):

1 lb large shrimp (16/20 count, meaning 16 to 20 shrimp per pound), peeled and deveined, tails off. Larger (10/15) work too and cook longer. 26/30 are small and overcook fast, so drop cook time by 30 seconds a side.

3 tbsp TGCS Co Jamaican Jerk Mustard (2 for cooking, 1 to finish)

1 tbsp neutral oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Pinch kosher salt

Food (slaw):

2 cups shredded green cabbage (about 1/4 of a medium head)

1 cup fresh pineapple, diced small (fresh beats canned by a wide margin. If you must use canned, drain it well and pat dry.)

1/4 red onion, sliced paper-thin

1/2 jalapeño, sliced thin (seeds in for heat, out for milder)

Juice of 1 lime

1 tbsp white wine vinegar or rice vinegar

1 tsp honey

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Kosher salt

Food (serving):

8 small corn tortillas (or 8-inch flour if you prefer. Corn is more traditional, flour is softer.)

1 ripe avocado, sliced

2 limes, cut into wedges

Extra cilantro

Equipment:

Large mixing bowl for slaw

Large skillet or wok (cast iron is ideal)

Tongs

Second small skillet or open flame for charring tortillas

How to cook it

1. Make the slaw first so the flavours have time to mingle. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, pineapple, red onion, jalapeño, lime juice, vinegar, honey, cilantro, and a big pinch of kosher salt. Toss hard with your hands to bruise the cabbage a little and get everything coated. Set aside. (Minimum 15 min rest for the salt and vinegar to soften the cabbage. Up to an hour is better. Past 2 hours it gets soggy.)
2. Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towel. Wet shrimp steam instead of sear, and you lose the whole game.
3. In a small bowl, toss the shrimp with 2 tbsp of the Jamaican Jerk, the oil, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Coat every piece.
4. Heat your skillet over high heat until it's very hot, 2 to 3 minutes. Tip the shrimp in in a single layer. Do not crowd the pan, if you have to do it in two batches, do it.
5. Don't move the shrimp for 90 seconds. They should be deeply pink underneath with some char. Flip with tongs. Cook another 60 to 90 seconds on the other side. They are done when they curl into a C-shape. If they curl into a tight O, they're overcooked. (Internal temp is 120 F if you want to thermometer it.)
6. Pull off the heat IMMEDIATELY. Toss with the remaining 1 tbsp of Jamaican Jerk right in the hot pan so the residual heat warms the sauce and coats every shrimp.
7. Char the corn tortillas one at a time over an open gas flame using tongs, about 10 seconds a side, until you have some black spots and the tortilla puffs. No gas stove? Dry-toast in a hot skillet for 30 seconds a side. Wrap finished tortillas in a clean tea towel to keep warm.
8. Build the tacos: warm tortilla, 2 to 3 slices of avocado, 3 to 4 shrimp, generous pile of pineapple slaw on top, a sprinkle of extra cilantro, a wedge of lime on the side for squeezing.
9. ENJOY!