Make
this recipe when fragrant local melons are in season for an especially
delectable treat. Bamboo skewers are infinitely versatile: good for
grilling, but equally useful for threading pre-cooked or uncooked items
to be eaten as finger food, with or without dips.
- 36 shrimp, deveined, peeled (peel the tail also), and cooked
- 2 T. minced shallot OR sweet onion OR scallion
- ½ c. seasoned rice wine vinegar
- 2 T. chopped fresh tarragon, OR substitute Italian or Asian basil
- 1-2 T. sugar
- ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper, preferably white, or to taste
- 1 ripe but firm cantaloupe, halved and seeds removed
- 1 ripe but firm honeydew, halved and seeds removed
- 12 bamboo skewers
Place
the shallot, rice wine vinegar, tarragon, sugar, and pepper in a large
resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and squish with your hands until
the ingredients are combined and the sugar is dissolved. Add the shrimp
to the bag, squeeze out as much air as possible, and turn to coat the
shrimp thoroughly. Marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour,
turning a few times
Using a melon baller, make 18 balls EACH
from the cantaloupe and the honeydew. The size of the balls you need
depends on the size of the shrimp. The shrimp should curve around the
balls and cover at least half of the ball. Make the balls as perfect as
possible, saving the “rejects” for another use such as fruit salad.
Drain
the shrimp in a colander and shake a few times to remove excess
moisture and some of the bits of herbs and shallots. It’s OK if little
bits of the tarragon and shallot stick to them.
Thread a melon
ball about 3 inches down one of the bamboo skewers. Then spear a shrimp
in the middle of the inside curve and bring it down so that the shrimp
curves over and around the melon ball. Whichever kind of melon ball you
used first, thread a ball of the alternate melon down on top of the
shrimp and place another shrimp over it in the same manner as the
first. Repeat, using another melon ball of the first kind. Continue
making skewers in the same manner, alternating which kind of melon you
start with. Each skewer should have three shrimp and two melon balls of
one kind and one melon ball of the other kind.
This article appears in May 27 – Jun 2, 2010.
