SHRIMP AND PINEAPPLE SKEWERS

By EdieK

This weekend I have a childhood friend and her family coming for dinner.

Maria and I spent a lot of time together when we were younger. But now she lives in Luxembourg and we rarely see other.

So I wanted to make something extra special -- something visually appealing with mouth-watering flavour to match.

And with the barbecue season in full swing I wanted to prepare something on the grill.

Today's recipe, shrimp and pineapple shish kebabs, fit the bill.

The Asian ingredients -- soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil -- give the shrimp a burst of flavour.

My favourite is the grilled sweet pineapple with its natural sugars caramelized in the heat.

You can also try zucchini, cherry tomatoes, or other fruit such as pears or mangoes.

The order in which you thread the food on the skewer is a personal choice. I made each one a little different.

Serve the skewers on a bed of rice.

I cooked plain white rice and added a pinch of saffron while it was boiling.

Try a crisp green salad to start.

LIZ MONTEIRO
RECORD STAFF

(Jul 25, 2007)

Ingredients

• Marinade:
• One package of raw shrimp, deveined with shell on (I used a President's Choice large barbecue shrimp, 8 to 12 pieces)
• 3 lean Italian sausages, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored
• 1/2 yellow pepper
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1/2 red onion, cut into larger pieces
• Wooden skewers
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) minced ginger
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) sesame oil
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) dry sherry
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 ml) white pepper

Details

Servings 2

Preparation

Step 1

Soak the wooden skewers in water for about five minutes to avoid burning. They can soak for 20 minutes but when time is of the essence, a few minutes will do. It also helps the food slip on to the wood skewers easily.

2 First prepare the marinade in a wide shallow dish. Stir together the minced ginger, soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil, sherry, lime juice and white pepper.

3 Cut the sausage into small pieces and let the shrimp and sausage sit in the marinade for about 10 minutes while you cut the vegetables and fruit.

4 Cut the pineapple into chunks and cut the peppers and onion into smaller pieces. (Be careful the onion isn't too small because it will burn).

5 When making the shish kebabs, thread the food through its thickest part. To prevent the shrimp from spinning, thread it through both ends.

6 Pour the marinade over the entire shish kebab while you wait for the barbecue to preheat.

7 Grill the skewers over medium heat. Try to move them as little as possible so they don't fall apart.

8 Cook for about 10 minutes on one side and with tongs, carefully flip them over, cooking another eight minutes. Fifteen minutes may be enough depending on how hot the grill is.