The essence of sweet succulence, a combo of sea scallops and jewel-toned melon balls keeps friends coming back to the grill for more nibbles. Look for firm, plump scallops, and any kind of melon, from the familiar options to the more unusual varieties showing up these days.
MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN KEBOBS
| 2 | pounds sea scallops, halved if larger in diameter than a 50-cent coin |
| ½ | cup Peach Vinegar ([>]) or other fruit vinegar such as raspberry |
| 1½ | teaspoons kosher salt or other coarse salt |
| 1 | teaspoon sugar |
| 3 to 4 | cups melon balls or bite-size cubes, from at least two types of melon |
| Soaked bamboo skewers, preferably 2 for each kebob | |
| Vegetable oil spray |
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to high (1 to 2 seconds with the hand test).
Place the scallops in a plastic bag or shallow bowl and pour the vinegar over them. Let the scallops sit in the vinegar at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes (much longer and you'll have ceviche). Drain the scallops and discard the vinegar.
Stir the salt and sugar together and sprinkle them lightly over the scallops. Avoiding crowding, skewer 2 to 3 scallops interspersed by balls of different types of melon (preferably using 2 skewers per kebob to hold the ingredients securely while cooking). Assemble the remaining kebobs and spray them lightly with oil.
Transfer the kebobs to a well-oiled grate. Grill them uncovered over high heat for 2 to 2½ minutes per side, until the scallops are just opaque with lightly browned edges. Be careful not to overcook or the scallops will become dry and tough. If grilling covered, cook for the same amount of time, turning once midway.
Serve the kebobs immediately.
TECHNIQUE TIP: In threading skewers for the grill, generally avoid squasing foods together on the stick. In most cases, you want the heat to reach and crisp all the edges, and that won't happen unless the individual pieces have some breathing room.