Rosie’s Recipes: Island Inspired Shrimp

By Rosie Hawthorne on October 1, 2026

By Rosie Hawthorne | Outer Banks Voice

Today, I’m taking one of the most versatile seafoods – shrimp – and going with a Caribbean-inspired meal, full of bold flavors and colors.  I’m seasoning and searing succulent shrimp, adding a zesty pineapple mango salsa, a drizzle of guacamole dressing, and then pairing it all with a sweet, almost floral, jasmine rice cooked in coconut milk. You’ve got vibrant colors and flavors, blending sweet, spicy, hot, and tangy – and it all balances out into a completely satisfying, refreshing, and indulgent meal.

 

Here’s an outline of what I’m making so you can get an idea of the process and timeline for what’s involved:

• Make the pineapple mango salsa  Cover and refrigerate so all the flavors have time to swirl around and get friendly with each other.
• Make the guacamole dressing. Cover and refrigerate.  This is made in a blender or food processor and you want the consistency to be drizzle-able.  If you need to thin it out after it’s been sitting for a while, add a little more lime juice or a neutral flavored olive oil to it. (My go-to neutral olive oil is Bertolli Extra Light Olive Oil.)
• Prepare the shrimp. Peel and de-tract a pound of large shrimp.  Yes, I say “de-tract” not “de-vein,” because that black line running down the back of the shrimp is the intestinal tract. You may call it a vein if it makes you feel better.  Refrigerate until ready to season and blacken.
• Prepare the coconut rice.
• Make the shrimp seasoning.
• Season and blacken the shrimp.
• Assemble the dish.

 

 

Now, let’s get started on the meal.

 

Pineapple Mango Salsa

• 1 small fresh pineapple, prepared
• 1 mango, peeled
• 1 small red pepper, yellow pepper, orange pepper (I’m all about the colors.)
• ½ red onion
• 1 jalapeño
• Zest and juice of 1 lime
• ¼+ cup chopped cilantro
• 2 TB honey
• Pinch or two kosher salt

To prepare the pineapple, cut off top and bottom, stand it upright, and slice off skin and any remaining “eyes.”  Remove fibrous core, then chop fruit into small chunks.

Dice peeled mango, peppers, and onion.  Mince the jalapeño.  Chop cilantro.  Combine all.

Whisk together honey, lime juice, and zest.  Pour over pineapple mixture.  Toss to coat.  Season with salt to taste.  Cover and refrigerate at least an hour so the flavors can get happy together.

 

Guacamole Dressing

• 1 avocado
• 2 TB lime juice
• 2 TB neutral flavored olive oil (I use Bertolli extra light.)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine avocado, lime juice, olive oil, and garlic clove in mini-processor.  Blend until smooth.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add more lime juice or olive oil, if needed, to achieve a drizzling consistency.

Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

 

Coconut Rice

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 1 can coconut milk
• ¼ – ½ cup water (as needed)
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 TB unsalted butter

In medium saucepan, combine rice, coconut milk, water, and salt.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat, reduce heat to low, cover, and barely simmer for about 15 minutes, or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.  Add more water if needed.  Fluff the rice with a fork, plop in the butter, remove from heat, cover, and keep warm until serving.

While the rice is cooking, make the seasoning for the shrimp.

 

Shrimp Seasoning Mixture

• 2 TB dark brown sugar
• 1 TB garlic powder
• 1 TB ground ginger
• 1 TB onion powder
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground pepper
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground cloves

Mix all ingredients.

 

For the shrimp

• 1 pound medium – large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
• 2 TB olive oil (I used a neutral oil – Bertolli Extra Light Olive Oil.)
• 2 TB Lime juice
• 2 TB shrimp seasoning mixture

Toss the shrimp with olive oil, lime juice, and seasoning mixture.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat, drizzle a little oil in it and let it get hot,  and cook the shrimp about 2 minutes, until just opaque.  Remove from heat.

 

Assembly

Divide coconut rice between plates. Top with cooked shrimp and a generous helping of the salsa.  Drizzle with guacamole dressing and, if desired, garnish with fresh cilantro, lime wedges, and avocado slices.

 

Enjoy.

For more recipes, please visit with Rosie at

www.KitchensAreMonkeyBusiness.com. 

For any culinary questions, feel free to e-mail me at RosieHawthorne@gmail.com. Bon appétit!
For more Rosie’s Recipes on the Outer Banks Voice click here.