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Skewers, savory & sweet

The key ingredient to fun, fast and appetizing grilled shish kebabs is advance preparation.

Like everyone else, I have been seduced by those tidy, calibrated stacks of meat and vegetables lined up on skewers, sold in my local supermarket, commonly called shish kebabs.

The problem is they don't work. They look great in their raw state, but as soon as they hit the fire, trouble begins. By the time the meat's done, the tomatoes are a drippy mess. The onions and peppers, smushed tightly against each other, remain raw. When pulled from their rigid framework, they become an unappetizing clump.

Still, I have always loved the idea of a meal on a stick, its convivial nature inviting people to gather together around a fire.

Rethink how you grill the various components and a shish kebab can be a glorious thing, rustic and sophisticated at the same time. Skewering and cooking each ingredient individually allows you to get each to its correct doneness. Threading them on skewers in a way that maximizes their surface exposure to the grill will yield more flavor. They don't look as glamorous while cooking, but the end result, on a plate, is superior.

Our three-course dinner begins with shrimp grilled on branches of fresh rosemary, continues with chunks of tenderloin and vegetables with chimichurri and a grilled potato salad, and ends with a grilled tropical fruit sundae garnished with macadamia nut brittle spiked with red pepper flakes.

The ease and fun of a skewer dinner depends on advance preparation. Most of the work can be done well ahead of dinnertime. The sauces improve over 24 hours, as does the marinating beef. Making the brittle is the only really time-consuming job, but you can do it up to five days before your dinner, and the kick it gives the sundaes is worth it. The skewers can be assembled several hours in advance except for the bananas.

Grilling takes 20 minutes, 30 max.

I agree with purists who insist that charcoal is superior to gas, creating a better sear and flavor, but the reality of my life is that I opt for the convenience of gas. The important thing is to preheat your gas grill on high for at least 10 minutes and to cook everything on high. Give your grill a good scraping and begin with the fruit so it doesn't take on other flavors, then move on to the shrimp and serve them to your guests with something cool and slushy from the blender while you finish up with the beef and vegetables.

All recipes serve six.

Shrimp on Rosemary Skewers With Orange-Horseradish Dipping Sauce

12 rosemary branches, lower leaves removed

24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper

Thread two shrimp on each skewer, brush with olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and grill on high heat for about two minutes per side. Serve with dipping sauce.

Source: Lennie Bennett

Orange-Horseradish Dipping Sauce

Zest from 1 large orange, about 2 teaspoons

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

¹/₂ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary

1 tablespoon orange marmalade

¹/₂ cup sour cream

Salt to taste

Combine all ingredients. Can be made a day in advance and refrigerated. Serve with grilled shrimp.

Source: Lennie Bennett

Beef Tenderloin and Vegetable Skewers With Chimichurri

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon salt

¹/₄ cup olive oil

¹/₂ beef tenderloin, about 2¹/₂ pounds

Combine first four ingredients in a plastic bag. Cut tenderloin into 2-inch slices, then cut each slice into four large chunks. Put meat in bag and marinate in refrigerator for several hours or overnight.

Preheat gas grill on high for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, thread beef onto metal skewers, four or five per serving. Grill on high flame for about 2 minutes per side for medium rare. Serve with grilled vegetables and chimichurri sauce.

Grilled Vegetables

3 yellow peppers, seeded and each cut into 8 large chunks

3 zucchinis, cut into 1-inch slices

18 cherry tomatoes

2 red onions, peeled and each cut into 8 wedges

Olive oil

Thread vegetables onto skewers horizontally so the larger flat surface will be on the grill. (Don't mix them as cooking times will vary a bit.) Brush with oil. Grill on high heat, about two minutes per side for the peppers, zucchini and onions; 1 minute for tomatoes.

Chimichurri

This sauce is often called the ketchup of Argentina. There are many versions, but its basic ingredients are always oil, vinegar, garlic and herbs.

2 cups flat-leaf or Italian parsley

3 to 5 garlic cloves

2 tablespoons fresh oregano

3 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1 cup olive oil

Salt

Roughly chop herbs and garlic in a food processor. Add vinegar and, with motor running, slowly add oil. Salt to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use. Can be made up to 2 days in advance.

Source: Lennie Bennett

Grilled Potato Salad

3 pounds small red potatoes, skins on, halved

1 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped mint

2 tablespoons chopped scallions

Salt and pepper

Boil potatoes for 6 to 8 minutes until cooked but still firm. Drain and sprinkle with a little olive oil. (Potatoes can be done a day before serving and refrigerated.) Thread potatoes on skewers and grill for about three minutes per side or until grill marks appear. Remove from skewers and toss in a bowl with oil and vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with mint and scallions.

Source: Lennie Bennett

Grilled Fruit Sundaes With Chili-Macadamia Nut Brittle

1 recipe chili-macadamia nut brittle (below)

1 ripe pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 12 large chunks

3 mangoes, peeled, flesh cut from pit and sliced into large chunks

12 baby bananas, peeled

1 12-ounce jar microwaveable caramel sauce

1 tablespoon rum

2 quarts vanilla ice cream

Break brittle into large shards. Save at least six for garnish. Return remainder to large plastic bag and use a rolling pin to crush into smaller chunks. Do not pulverize; you want recognizable pieces. Reserve.

Thread fruit onto skewers, brush with vegetable oil and sprinkle lightly with sugar to promote browning. Grill on high heat, about two minutes per side for pineapple, one to two minutes for the mangoes and one minute for the bananas.

Microwave caramel sauce according to directions. Pour into a bowl and stir in rum.

Arrange fruit, cutting up large pieces if desired, in shallow bowls. Sprinkle bits of brittle over fruit. Top with vanilla ice cream. Drizzle with caramel sauce and garnish with a large shard of brittle.

Source: Adapted from Gourmet magazine

Chili-Macadamia Nut Brittle

2 cups sugar

¹/₂ cup light corn syrup

¹/₂ cup water

¹/₂ teaspoon dried hot pepper flakes

1 cup coarsely chopped salted macadamia nuts

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and oil lightly.

Cook sugar, syrup and water in a deep, heavy 2-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring with a fork until sugar is melted. Continue cooking until caramel turns a golden color, swirling pan. Do not stir. This will take about 30 minutes. When it begins to turn color, put baking sheet in a 250 degree oven to warm. Add hot pepper flakes and nuts to the caramel and cook a few more minutes. Don't let caramel get too dark. Pour it onto warm baking sheet and tilt to spread and thin out before it hardens. Be very careful not to let it touch you. Cool brittle until completely hardened. Break it into several large pieces and store at room temperature in a plastic bag.

Brittle can be made up to five days in advance.

Source: Adapted from Gourmet magazine