Shrimp on the grill: four words that when strung together are the theme song for a great, uniquely summertime meal. And this Emeril Lagasse recipe nearly turns that tune into a symphony of flavors.

But so what if summer's over? Who says October isn't the perfect time for grilled shrimp?

The hot, sour, salty spicy, seasoning paste in this recipe joins with the sweet, snappy shrimp in perfect culinary harmony that's fit for year-round enjoyment. 

The seasoning paste may seem daunting, with its 13 ingredients and preponderance of mincing and chopping, but it is worth it. You can make it ahead, adding the shrimp an hour or so before you’re ready to cook, so that by the time you’re sitting down to eat, all that prep work is but a distant memory.

Emeril would like you to serve these babies with a garlicky, black bean relish, but I prefer them wrapped in a warm corn taco, with a crunchy broccoli slaw and a tangy tartar sauce, both of which my husband has perfected as part of his dinnertime repertoire.

His broccoli slaw begins with a bag or two of shredded broccoli stems, usually available near the salad mixes in the grocery store. He stirs in a bit of mayonnaise, perhaps a scant quarter cup, a heaping teaspoon of prepared horseradish and a squirt of Stadium mustard, his favorite, direct from Cleveland, then seasons with salt and pepper. This is a dry, rather than creamy slaw that stays crunchy until the last bite, thanks to the broccoli.

His tangy tartar sauce starts with mayo, then gets some finely diced onion, some horseradish, a dollop of green relish and a short squirt of that mustard. Smear that on a tortilla, top with the slaw and finish with four or five shrimp. Serve by itself or with a dollop of spicy refried beans and in no time, your family and friends will be singing your praises.

Enjoy!

Spicy Barbecued Shrimp Skewers

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon fresh thyme

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves (omit or substitute fresh parsley for cilantro haters)

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon light brown sugar or honey (or agave syrup)

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Juice of 1 lime

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

In a large bowl or zip-top bag, combine all the ingredients except the shrimp. Mix well.

About an hour or so before you want to begin grilling, add the shrimp to the seasoning paste and toss thoroughly to coat the shrimp. Refrigerate until you’re ready to cook.

When your grill is hot, thread the shrimp onto skewers. (I prefer metal but bamboo skewers work as well. Just remember to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before threading on the shrimp. This will help delay inevitable flaming skewers.)

Place the shrimp skewers on the grill and cook for about 3 minutes per side or until the shrimp turn pink and are slightly charred on each side. Do not overcook!

Original recipe from Emeril Lagasse at www.foodnetwork.com. Jill Blanchette is the multiplatform production manager at The Day. Share comments and recipes with her at j.blanchette@theday.com.