Having friends or family over for a meal is one of my favourite things to do. From the first second I extend the invitation to the last millisecond before the doorbell rings, I enjoy the process. I love the mental planning of any meal, even if it is just for Leith and I, but I especially love to plan them for other people. I make lists of lists of lists and organize each recipe ahead of time. I pull out all the serving dishes in advance, light candles, and set the table lavishly with all of our delightfully mismatched dishware.
Upon my guests’ arrival I am a gracious, if slightly distracted hostess (I tend to keep one eye on my son and one on the kitchen, leaving not so many eyes for my guests). I like listening to people talk in the living room while I move food to and fro and make sure glasses are full and people are happy. Motioning people towards the table, I settle and enjoy watching friends and family eat and enjoy, comment and cajole. It is when I am most happy and content.
Recently, it has been a bit difficult for me to have people over (and even more difficult to get out!) – you would be amazed how much work a five year-old requires! That, and Leith is only just starting to learn how to help with the mise-en-place, setting the table and organizing invitations – he still needs a lot of help (surprise, surprise)! To get out of this particular rut we invited the most logical of guests this past weekend – family! They are absolutely in love with Leith and always very appreciative of our situation.
While wee Leith was completely useless in helping me make dinner (he spent most of the time playing soccer in the yard with his uncles) he did manage to join us at the table to eat shrimp messily and with gusto (the way they should be eaten!) and indulge in way more homemade macaroni and cheese than I thought his bursting belly could hold.
Grilled Lemon-Garlic Shrimp
This recipe is astonishingly simple but also incredibly tasty. I love it as a side dish to lamb or beef because it sets off the heavy meat perfectly. It takes minutes to prepare but tastes like it takes a great deal more effort.
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
1 bay leaf
zest of one lemon
1 medium shallot, minced
3 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 medium shallot
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
24 jumbo shrimp, deveined but not peeled*
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
lemon wedges as an accompaniment
Crush and peel the garlic cloves. Along with the salt, mash the garlic into a paste. In a large bowl stir together the garlic, shallot, oil, oregano, thyme, lemon zest, bay leaf and the pepper. Add the shrimps, and toss to coat them well. Let the shrimp marinate, covered and chilled, for at least 1 hour or overnight. Stir in the lemon juice, let the mixture stand at room temperature for an hour, and drain the shrimp in a fine sieve, reserving the marinade. Soak 8 wooden skewers in water for at least an hour. Thread three shrimps per skewer and grill on barbeque for about 3-minutes on each side, or until they are cooked through. (Alternatively, they can be broiled on the rack of a broiler pan under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 4-minutes on each side.) Bring left-over marinade to a boil and serve alongside as a dipping sauce.
*Leaving the peels on the shrimp prevents them from overcooking on the grill and thus drying out. It might take a few extra minutes to peel them when eating but the taste is definitely worth it. They melt in your mouth!
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