Grilled Shrimp and Plum Skewers with Sweet Hoisin Sauce (July '01)

[catharine]

In response to my request for *fablulous* shrimp recipes for my in-laws visit, janices suggested this recipe. I am so grateful for the recommendation - it was exactly what I wanted.

It was really wonderful. I made the sweet hoisin sauce the day before – it was really simple. The day of I thawed the frozen shrimp, skewered them with the plums, grilled some asparagus that I lightly brushed with some of the hoisin sauce, made some white and brown rice, and ta-da, dinner was fabulous, delicious and elegant. Everyone was impressed!

Thanks, janices for the recommendation. This is going to be a regular item on our menu.

By the way, I was a little concerned that my plums were completely unripe but that was actually smart because they softened on the grill. Also, the recipe calls for quartered plums and I was tempted to make them into smaller pieces to stretch them out. In the end I was glad I had the big pieces because as they softened they came close to falling off the skewers.

One final note – I (accidentally) skipped the step where you toss the shrimp with the salt, pepper, ginger, etc. It still came out great. When I make it again I will do it the same way.

[janices]

Catharine,

You're welcome. Glad you liked them. They were a big hit in our house, too! They were easy, delicious, and impressive, which is a great combination. I agree with you on the plums, firm plums definitely work best, as they will get very soft on the grill.

[Donna P]

Made these last night and they were a big hit. Thumbs up. They were a little sweet, but all of the flavors were great. Only change was to add a couple of cloves of crushed garlic to the tossed shrimp mixture, and let it marinate for about an hour in the fridge before cooking. I think the portion size is wrong, we got 2 servings with 3 shrimp leftover. My shrimp were jumbos, deheaded there were 13 in almost a pound. I served it with plain basmati rice and a tossed green salad with the Dijon-Lemon Vinaigrette dressing, also from the June issue. Here is the recipe for the Grilled Shrimp-and-Plum Skewers With Sweet Hoisin Sauce :


* Exported from MasterCook *

Grilled Shrimp-and-Plum Skewers With Sweet Hoisin Sauce

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 4 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Fish And Shellfish

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
Skewers
12 jumbo shrimp -- peeled and deveined
3 large plums -- quartered
2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/3 teaspoon white or black pepper
Sweet Hoisin Sauce
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
Condiments
1/4 cup green onion -- 1/2-inch thick
1 lime -- quartered

Prepare Grill.

Toss shrimp, plums, ginger, olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Thread 3 shrimp and 3 plum sections alternately onto each of 4 10-inch skewers.

Spoon 1/2 cup Sweet Hoisin Sauce into a cup; place remaining sauce in a serving bowl. Place kabobs on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; cook for 4 minutes. Turn kebobs and brush with about 1/4 cup sauce. Cook 4 minutes. Turn kebobs, brush with about 1/4 cup sauce. Cook 2 minutes, turning once. Serve remaining 1/2 cup sauce as a dipping suace. Garnish with onions and lime wedges, if desired.

To make sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir until well mixed.

Description:
"The ginger gives these kebobs a spicy, peppery bite that is mellowed
by the sweet sauce."
Source:
"Cooking Light, June 2001, page 110"

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[mb]

we also loved this recipe. a definite make-again! :) i used about 3/4 lb of a medium-sized shrimp. but i bet it would be even better with the huge shrimp the recipe calls for!! maybe next time...

[ElinorC]

I wonder if this recipe could be adapted to chicken instead of shrimp? We can't eat shrimp but the plum sounds wonderful.

[catharine]

I think chicken would work great with this sauce. I used it on veggies and it was really good.