Summer is Grilled Shrimp Kebabs

It’s now official. As of one week ago it’s formally summer; and the weather simply won’t allow us to forget it. It’s times like these when the best thing to do is embrace the season, chill a white Burgundy and grill seafood.

Kebabs are quintessential summer fare. Embellishing them with a myriad of colorful vegetables, bolstering with jumbo shrimp and a bright vinaigrette, only enhances the experience—a true example of the whole being greater than the sum of the parts.

This particular recipe, another brilliant production of America’s Test Kitchen, solves the maddening problem of delicate seafood being overcooked while vegetables require further lingering over the flames. The inelegant solution? Par-cooking via microwave.

INGREDIENTS
For the shrimpsalt, 2 Tbs
sugar, 2 Tbs
jumbo shrimp, 1½ lbs (peeled and deveined)
bell peppers, 3; cut into strips ¾ x 3 inches
cremini mushrooms, 24
vegetable oil, 2 Tbs

For the vinaigrette
lemon juice (¼ cup; 2 lemons)
extra-virgin olive oil, ¼ cup
fresh thyme, 2 tsp minced
garlic cloves, 2 minced
salt, ½ tsp
Dijon mustard, ¼ tsp
pepper, ⅛ tsp

DIRECTIONS
Begin with a brine for the prepared shrimp. Whisk the salt and sugar in one quart (four cups) of cold water until dissolved. Place the shrimp into the brine, and into the refrigerator for 15 minutes, after which, drain and pat dry.

Wash and prepare the vegetables. Place the bell pepper strips, skin side down, on a microwave-safe plate lined with paper-towels (to absorb moisture). Season with ⅛ tsp salt, and microwave for two minutes.

Do the same with the mushrooms, microwaving for three minutes.

Assemble the kebabs by skewering first a shrimp, then a mushroom (that will nest inside the curve of the shrimp), then a trio of bell peppers, keeping them parallel with the shrimp to further ensure even cooking. Repeat until all shrimp and vegetables have been skewered.

Baste both sides of each kebab with vegetable oil, season with pepper.

Crank up the grill to its maximum temperature. Meanwhile, prep the vinaigrette by whisking all ingredients together.

Once the grill has reached 400-500 F, clean and oil the cooking grate. Place the kebabs upon the grill (covered) for two minutes per side—no longer or the shrimp will become tough and rubbery.

Serve with vinaigrette over a bed of rice, and alongside a bottle of something dry from the Old World. We recommend the Domaine Laroche 2015 Chablis Saint Martin for its remarkable minerality, essence of green apple and a crisp acidity that compliments the luxuriousness of grilled shrimp.

Summer never tasted so good.

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