Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Buttermilk-Avocado Dressing

This recipe makes a great appetizer also. The spiciness of the shrimp rub is cooled by the creamy buttermilk-avocado dip.

Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Buttermilk-Avocado Dressing

For the shrimp -
1 lb. jumbo or colossal shrimp, shelled, tail-on and deveined
2 tablespoons smoked sweet paprika
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Olive oil

For the dressing -
1 cup buttermilk
1 ripe avocado, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the grill to medium.
Combine all the dry ingredients for the shrimp rub in a small bowl. Rub the shrimp with the spice mixture. Lightly oil the grate. Grill shrimp until they just turn pink, 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, process buttermilk, avocado, parsley, shallots and lemon juice in a food processor for 30 seconds or until smooth. Season with kosher salt and pepper to taste. Serve shrimp with the buttermilk-avocado dressing as a dip.

Footnotes - If you are using large or medium shrimp, you may want to use a grill basket or metal skewers to cook them.