By LENNIE BENNETT, Times art critic
Published August 9, 2006
[Times photo: Patty Yablonski]
Skewers, savory & sweet
The key ingredient to fun, fast and appetizing grilled shish kebabs is advance preparation.
Grilling skewers have one function: to secure food as it cooks. I have tried those trendy bamboo sticks but have found, even after prolonged soaking in water, they burn and break before the food, even quick-cooking fruit, is ready to be pulled from the heat.
The skewers I find universally successful are the straight metal ones. They're available in most supermarkets, and kitchen supply shops have fancier versions.
Using a single metal skewer can be problematic, though. Heat conducted by the metal inside the food can cause shrinkage as it cooks, so it often slides and slithers when you try to turn it.
One solution is to use two skewers to spear your ingredients, which you can do if you cut the food in recommended larger sizes for grilling. Another is a skewer made with double prongs. Weber sells a set of eight for about $10.
A circular model by Charcoal Companion (about $20 for four) is cute and fits a round plate smartly if you plan to keep the food on it, but it has the same issues all single skewers have.
Callison's Fine Foods has just come out with wooden skewers infused with six flavor combinations, such as honey bourbon, garlic herb, Thai coconut lime and Mexican fiesta. They're sturdier than bamboo, flat for better control and impart subtle flavor (some of it slightly artificial tasting) to your meats, seafood and vegetables. They're about $8 for a package of 10. The company Web site lists no local retailers, but they can be ordered from specialty stores. For information, go to www.seasoned skewers.com.
For our story, we used branches of fresh rosemary to brace the shrimp. Rosemary is one of the few herbs with a woody enough stalk to support food, but it has its limits. Shrimp is a good choice for it because it cooks before the herb goes up in smoke.
