Italian Grill - Mario Batali [32]
Note: It’s easy to make skewers from rosemary sprigs. Choose large sturdy sprigs that are about 8 inches long. Pull off most of the leaves from each sprig, leaving a nice tuft of leaves at the top (use the remaining leaves in the dish you are making, or reserve for another use). Using a sharp knife, cut off the bottom of the sprig on a diagonal to give you a sharp point. The skewer will slide easily through the shrimp when you skewer them.
The rosemary skewers, which are easy to make, impart an herbal fragrance to the shrimp, and they look both rustic and elegant at the same time. Alla romagnola means that these spiedini are a specialty of Romagna, the eastern part of the region Emilia-Romagna.
WARM SHRIMP SALAD
WITH GREEN BEANS AND CHILIES
SERVES 6
2 pounds large shrimp (21–30 per pound), peeled and deveined
¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons black olive paste
1 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
1 pound green beans or haricots verts, trimmed
1 cup (4 ounces) hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
1 red onion, halved lengthwise and very thinly sliced
2 red cayenne or other hot chili peppers, very thinly sliced
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
About 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
PREHEAT A GAS GRILL or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill. Place a piastra (see page 9) on the grill to preheat.
Place the shrimp in a bowl, add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, the olive paste, and red pepper flakes, and mix well with your hands to coat the shrimp. Set aside.
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Set up an ice bath. Drop the beans into the boiling water and cook just until al dente, about 5 minutes. Drain and plunge into the ice bath to cool, then drain well.
Place the beans in a serving bowl, add the hazelnuts, red onion, and chilies, and toss to mix. Set aside.
Spread the shrimp on the piastra in a single layer (cook in two batches if necessary) and cook until pink and golden brown on the first side, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until just cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.
Toss the shrimp into the bowl with the beans. Add the remaining ¼ cup olive oil and the lemon juice and zest and toss well. Season generously with black pepper, and serve warm or at room temperature.
One of my favorites. White beans are traditionally served with shrimp; the green beans are a fun variation. All the different flavors and textures really come together in this delicious salad. And the recipe doubles easily for a crowd, making it an excellent choice for a summer buffet.
GRILLED LOBSTER
WITH LEMON OIL
SERVES 6
LEMON OIL
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Grated zest and juice of 3 lemons
1 bunch marjoram
3 tablespoons limoncello or other lemon liqueur
Three 2-pound live spiny or Maine lobsters
Generous 4 cups trimmed arugula, washed and spun dry
Coarse sea salt
2 lemons, cut into wedges
COMBINE THE OLIVE OIL and lemon zest and juice in a small saucepan and bring just to a simmer over medium heat. Pour into a heatproof bowl, add the marjoram and limoncello, and let cool.
As soon as the oil is cool, cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
Strain the oil and keep refrigerated until ready to use. It can be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed jar for up to 10 days—no longer.
Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill.
To kill the lobsters, hold each one firmly on a cutting board with the head toward you, plunge a sharp heavy knife into the center of the head, with the blade facing you, and quickly bring the knife down to the cutting board, splitting the front of the shell in half.
Place the lobsters shell side up on the hottest part of the grill and cook for 3 minutes. Turn over and cook for 3 minutes on the second side. Transfer to a cutting board.
Split the lobsters completely in half and remove the head sacs from each half. Being careful not to lose any of the tomalley—and roe, if the lobsters are female—gently anoint them on