Seafood Shish Kebab: Great On The Grill (NAPSA)—Take an evening stroll through just about any neighborhood these days and you can smell the tantalizing aromas of food being cooked over an outdoor grill. While burgers and steaks are still the most popular grilled protein, health- and waistline-conscious Americans are increasingly addinggrilled seafood to their backyard barbeque menus. One of the easiest and tastiest waysto grill seafood is on skewers. Wecall it shish kebab, which is actually an Armenian or Turkish word meaning “cooked on skewers.” Modern day travelers often find shish kebabs being cooked over charcoal grills and served at outdoor markets. In Asia, they are called satay—roasted skewered meats and seafood served with a dipping sauce, usually made with peanuts. In France, they are called brochettes, meaning “skewer.” The ease of preparation, versatility and great flavor of seafood shish kebabs make them an ideal choice for family as well as guests. Plus, seafood shish kebabsare economicalsince they use just a small amount of seafood. You can use any combination of seafood, vegetables and even fruits to create a meal on a stick. Kebabs can be prepared in advance, making them a perfect crowd-pleaser while keeping you out of the kitchen. Seafood kebabs can be grilled, broiled or baked. If you don't have a barbecue, you can even use an electric table-top indoor barbecue. Choose firm-textured fish (salmon, tuna, mahi mahi, swordfish, shark, etc.) and shellfish. You can even combine fish and shellfish; salmon paired with scallops or shrimp is a wonderful combination. Many recipes for delectable grilled seafood can be found online onions and tomatoes are good on the grill; so too, are melon, pineapple, mango and papaya. If you use wooden bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them at least 30 minutes in warm water prior to skewering so they don’t catch on fire. Stainless steel is the best choice for durable, reusable skewers. A light spray of cooking oil will help keep the kebabs from sticking to the grill. The skewers make it easy to turn the kebabsoften for even cooking. Keep an eye on Seafood shish kebab can be a wonderfully flavorful option for them, because most seafood is “done”in just a few minutes. cooking onthegrill. at www.aboutseafood.com, the Website of the National Fisheries Institute. Shish kebabs are often marinated, not only to tenderize, but also to impart flavor. The oil in most marinades helps shish kebabs cook uniformly and prevents sticking to the grill. Rinse the seafood thoroughly and pat dry before marinating or skewering. Be sure to marinate your seafood in the refrigerator to avoid food-borne bacteria. A large heavy-duty plastic zip or cooking bag will work fine. Seafood needs just 80 minutes to marinate before cooking. Discard the marinadeprior to cooking; do not reuse it. Prepare a separate batch if you want a dipping sauceorbaste. Now comesthe fun part: assembling the shish kebabs. Kids love to help with this project. You can alternate seafood with vegetables and fruit on the skewers, or prepare separate skewers of each to ensure even cooking. However you do it, the kebabs will be pretty to look at and great tasting. Peppers, summer squash, mushrooms, Tango Kebabs 1 Thsp. Caribbean jerk seasoning 1 Thsp. vegetable oil 14%lbs. tuna or swordfish steaks % cup canned pineapple tidbits, drained % cup choppedredbell \% 2 1 % pepper cup chopped purple onion Tbsp. choppedcilantro Thsp.lime juice to 1 tsp. minced, seeded jalapefio pepper Stir seasoning and oil together; brush on both sides of steaks. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients, stirring gently. Let stand while fish marinates, 30 minutes. Cut steaks into 1-inch cubes and thread onto skewers. Grill, covered, 4 to 6 inches above white-hot coals for 2 to 3 minutes; turn and cook about 2 minutes. Serve kebabs with salsa. Makes4 servings.
