AUREOLE |
New York, New York |
I like to serve food that everyone can just pick at and snack on while they’re watching the game. A few years ago, twenty or so people gathered at my house to watch my beloved Giants upset the favorites from New England. I set out bowls of munchies, platters of salami—things people could easily grab.
Use good-size shrimp for this recipe so they cook evenly along with the fennel and onion—ask your fishmonger for U-16s (that means there are 16 or fewer to a pound). The tender citrus-marinated shellfish and crunchy anise-flavored fennel is a good way to get both texture and taste on a single skewer. And unlike Eli Manning’s throw to David Tyree in the final moments of Super Bowl XLII in 2008, food on a stick is pretty easy to grab.
SERVES
10
(or 12 as an appetizer)
LEVEL of DIFFICULTY
WORTH THE EFFORT |
REASONABLE |
EASY |
MARINADE
21/2 cups/600 ml orange juice
21/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
11/2 cups/360 ml olive oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 fennel bulbs
48 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 red onions, cut into thick strips
1. Gather 16 metal or wooden skewers. If you’re using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 1 hour before loading them. This prevents them from burning during grilling.
2. TO MAKE THE MARINADE: Whisk together the citrus juices and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
3. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Meanwhile, cut off the tops of the fennel bulbs (save the feathery fronds for salads, garnishes, or other uses, if you like) and cut out and discard the tough core. Cut the bulb into sticks. Add to the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Drain and let cool.
4. Load the shrimp, fennel, and onion onto the skewers, putting three shrimp and two or three pieces of each vegetable on each and alternating them so they look good. Place the assembled kabobs in a shallow container. Pour the marinade evenly over the kabobs. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before grilling.
5. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium.
6. Discard the marinade and plop the kabobs on the grill. Grill in batches, if needed; you don’t want to crowd the rack. Cook, turning every minute or so to hit all sides, until the shrimp turn pink and the vegetables develop a slight char. Pile them on a large platter and serve immediately.
TIP
You can load the kabobs and start marinating them a day ahead. They will become more flavorful the longer they marinate. The kabobs don’t have to be served hot. You can grill them an hour before people arrive and serve them at room temperature.