Shrimp, meet crunchy and sweet green vegetables. Both of you, meet a flurry of lemon juice. I think you’re all going to get along just great. Pinned together at the end of a skewer, this easy-to-eat appetizer comes to us from the mind of our test kitchen chef, Josh, who served these morsels to an eager crowd just last month.
For this dish, Josh relied on subtle, simple flavors that work in concert. He warns against leaning too heavily on umami-loaded ingredients: “The clean and delicate flavors of thinly shaved fennel, lemon, and seared shrimp are harmonious together. It can be tempting to add a flavor bomb like bacon or chorizo, but sometimes less is more, and this recipe illustrates that concept perfectly.”
The shrimp cook quickly in a thin layer of oil, then, still hot, they meet slices of fennel, celery, and shallots. They all tumble together—the warmth of the shrimp should slightly wilt the vegetables, but pay that no mind. Allow this medley to commingle, to soak up the juices of one another. Arranged atop a skewer, the whole number practically begs to be eaten.
| 1 | pound shrimp (size 16/20), shelled and deveined |
| 1 | fennel bulb |
| 2 | shallots, peeled but left whole |
| 1 | rib of celery |
| 1 | lemon |
| Salt | |
| Freshly ground black pepper | |
| Canola oil | |
| Olive oil |
| 1 | pound shrimp (size 16/20), shelled and deveined |
| 1 | fennel bulb |
| 2 | shallots, peeled but left whole |
| 1 | rib of celery |
| 1 | lemon |
| Salt | |
| Freshly ground black pepper | |
| Canola oil | |
| Olive oil |
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