Anticiplate

After our Vail tour, our company has the opportunity to work with the famous Twyla Tharp for two months while she is choreographing new world premieres for PNB. I have been honored to be able to be learning one of her ballets, but I have to say that “Twyla-ing” drains me by the end of the day. Last week, I was going to bed at around 8:30 every night.

Today, however, I did not have it as rough, so I actually felt that I could stay up past 8:00 and cook. After spending about an hour at Whole Foods due to weekly grocery shopping, and Monday rush hour, I finally made it home as I anxiously awaited to cook again. I had no idea that I would become THIS ADDICTED to cooking. 

I saw a version of this recipe in the August Bon Appetit. It caught my eye because of the ingredients. All of the vegetables and fruit are actually in season in August. 

Serves 6 

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

3 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 1/2 tsp. finely grated lime peel

1/8 tsp. chili powder

3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

3/4 c. fresh basil, loosely packed

1/4 c. extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

30 large shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 firm, but ripe nectarines cut into 6 wedges each

Olive oil, for brushing

3 ears fresh corn

24 cherry tomatoes, halved

1/3 c. basil leaves, thinly sliced
Kosher Salt

Whisk lime juice, lime peel, and salt in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. 

Blanch 3/4 c. basil in a small pot of salted water for 30 seconds. Squeeze to remove water and coarsely chop. Puree oil and basil in a food processor or blender until smooth. Season with kosher salt. 

Prepare indoor grill or barbecue. In the same pot as the basil, blanch the corn for 2 minutes. Let cool.  Brush shrimp and nectarines with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill shrimp and nectarines 2 minutes on each side. 

Arrange 5 shrimp on each plate. Cut corn off of the ear. Toss corn in 2 tbsp. of dressing. Toss tomatoes in 1 tbsp. of dressing. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon corn around shrimp. Top the corn with the tomatoes. Arrange nectarines around plate. Drizzle the basil puree over the entire dish. Sprinkle with sliced basil.