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Grilled shrimp kabobs and tapas

Rinse and clean some medium large shrimp. Leave the shells on.

Split the back shell with a sharp serrated knife or kitchen shears, and using the long tines of a kitchen fork, gently scrape out any black vein. Leave the shells on, otherwise fully intact, tail on.

Skewer each shrimp using flat, pointed, wooden skewers, first pushing the skewer through the flat thick end of each shrimp and continuing through the less thick part.

Allow six to eight shrimp per skewer, pushing the shrimp so they barely touch one another, lining them up flat.

Mount the skewers on a clean, hot oiled grill, positioning the handle portion of each skewer on a roll of tinfoil along the edge of the barbecue grate. This portion of each skewer acts as a handle.

Using a spray bottle for each, spray the shrimp with your favourite white wine or white balsamic vinegar. Then spray with high quality “Spanish” olive oil. Sprinkle the shrimp with plenty of coarse salt and grains of pepper.

(Spanish olive oil is quite different than Italian olive oil.)

Be very careful not to overcook the shelled shrimp. As soon as shrimp turns opaque it is cooked. Ideally about two minutes each side.

Turn the shrimp kabobs and repeat the sprays, salt and pepper. The shells will char and give off a wonderful aroma that might call in your neighbours unexpectedly.

Don’t forget that food continues to cook when removed from the cooking source heat.

Absolutely don’t over cook seafood of any type; it will get rubbery. Awful. Nearly not edible. But if you do happen to over cook, don’t waste the seafood. Freeze it and save it for another recipe. Never waste food.

Start your cooking process again; refrigerate the overcooked portions and put them through your kitchen machine another day.

Remove the shrimp kabobs from the grill and rest, shells still intact, on a heavy stone or glazed plate.

Spray large thick pieces of black olive bread that you have rubbed with garlic clove with Spanish olive oil, and grill both sides. The bread will be the basis of your tapas.

Before cooking your shrimp, prepare your roasted vegetable paste spread by grilling your favourite vegetables, skins on, until just barely fork tender.

When the skins turn black, remove the vegetables from the grill, remove seeds, chop into medium-size pieces and place the vegetable pieces in a kitchen machine, using a sharp blade.

Whir until just coarse. Add a little dried Parmesan cheese, a tiny bit of sour cream, salt, pepper, a smashed garlic clove or a bit of oven roasted garlic, a little Spanish olive oil and a squirt of white balsamic vinegar. Add a tiny bit of smoked paprika and or cayenne pepper powder, to taste.

I prefer to leave the charred skins on the vegetable mix, but you might prefer to scrape off the roasted skins.

I use bell peppers, mixed colours, firm eggplant, sliced Spanish onion and zucchini, along with whole large grilled firm red tomato.

The coarse spread can be kept for a couple of days, covered, in a glass container, refrigerated.

Spread a heaping tablespoon of the vegetable mix on each piece of grilled black olive bread. Top with a round or two of black peppercorns, and add fresh grated parmesan cheese.

The tapas are a wonderful accompaniment to the grilled shrimp kabobs. Serve with a robust Spanish wine.

It’s an ideal Sunday brunch or a late night celebration of any kind, all year round.

If you have an indoor grill such as a Jenn Air type stovetop grill, this process even works indoors in cold weather seasons. Keep your overhead fan running.

Invite your guests to join you on the patio or in your kitchen, in off seasons.

Make plenty; you can never make too much of this treat.

To plate, serve with frozen grapes. The grapes will pop in your mouth. If serving on a side table, decorate a large serving plate displaying the grilled shrimp kabobs surrounded by candied green seedless grapes and large black olives. And my all-time favourite: brandy marinated figs. Provide lots of party stick-picks.

OR: Dip grapes in egg whites and plunge in a bowl of plain white sugar. Shake off excess. Refrigerate until serving. Serve alongside dark chocolate dipped whole strawberries, all mounted on a bed of fresh basil leaves. It’s a feast for the eyes too.

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