Sweet & Sour Shrimp

This sweet and sour shrimp ditches the bottled red sauce and goes straight to whole fruit. Ripe nectarines and plums get pureed with apricot preserves, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a fresh, vibrant sauce that tastes more like a summer chutney than a takeout-counter glaze. Cooked shrimp goes in cold, tossed to coat, and the whole thing is ready to plate in under 20 minutes.

The Dijon is the secret ingredient. It cuts the sweetness from the stone fruit and apricot jam, gives the sauce body, and pulls everything into a proper sweet-and-sour balance rather than something cloying.

Serve it cold over chilled greens for a summer appetizer, or warmed and spooned over jasmine rice for a quick weeknight dinner.

Pro Tips

• Use the ripest nectarines and plums you can find. Underripe stone fruit makes the sauce taste tannic and flat instead of bright and juicy.
• Use precooked shrimp as the recipe calls for, but make sure it’s properly drained and patted dry. Wet shrimp dilutes the sauce and makes the whole dish watery.
• For an entree version, warm the sauce gently before adding the shrimp. Don’t boil it, or the fresh fruit flavor cooks out.
• Taste before salting. The Dijon and apricot preserves both bring sodium and sweetness; adjust at the end.

Variations

• Swap the shrimp for cooked chicken breast, scallops, or pan-seared salmon.
• Add a tablespoon of fresh ginger to the puree for a Southeast Asian feel.
• Stir in a small handful of toasted sliced almonds and chopped basil right before serving for crunch and herbal lift.