If you’re looking for a unique and fun appetizer for tomorrow’s Parade of Lights…or for any “docktails” get-together, this Galley Pirate’s exclusive is sure to be a hit! Marinated in Knob Creek Bourbon, garlic, brown sugar and soy sauce…along with some Ghost Peppers…then skewered “ying-yang” style to form a POP…they will be the talk of the dock! These shrimp skewers are perfect on the grill, but they can easily be done in your galley oven, as we’ll show you now…

First stop, Annapolis Seafood for some peeled, deveined shrimp. A little pricier that peel-on shrimp, but quite a time-saver.

Then back to the boat to get the cooking under way…

Bourbon Shrimp Pops

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup Bourbon
1/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 cloves garlic, pressed
A few dashes of Ghost Peppers or any hot pepper sauce
20 large peeled, deveined shrimp
Sea Salt
1 tablespoon chopped scallions
10 Bamboo skewers

Skewer two shrimp onto each bamboo skewer ” ying yang” style. (or whatever numerical description you want to give it… ) With two shrimp in hand, skewer tail, head, head, tail onto the bamboo skewer.  That creates a nice round “pop.”

Press or finely mince the garlic.  Mix the garlic with the bourbon, brown sugar, soy sauce and Ghost Peppers (or any hot pepper sauce). Pour over the shrimp skewers and grind on some Sea Salt. Let sit for about 30 minutes to absorb the marinade while you heat up your oven.

Heat your galley oven to 400 degrees or as hot as you can get it. Mince the tiniest scallions you can find.

After 30 minutes, take the shrimp skewers out of the marinade and lay on a cooking sheet. Place in the pre-heated oven for 3 minutes.

Meanwhile, and very quickly, pour the reserve marinade from the shrimp into a saucepan and heat over medium flame to reduce the sauce. Once thickened, as shown below, add the minced scallions.

After 3 minutes, pull the shrimp out of the oven, turn the shrimp over, and spoon on some of the reduced sauce. If your oven has a broiler, light it now. If not, just keep the oven on high heat. Return your shrimp to the oven and broil (or bake) for an additional 3 minutes. Once they are nice and pink, pull out of the oven and pour on some the remaining sauce.

Presto! They can be eaten hot or room temperature. Or Parade of Lights temperature…usually cold. But this year, it looks like we’re blessed with 60 degree weather. Thank you, El Niño!

Tonight we’re sticking the skewers into a glass of pink Himalayan salt for easy grab-n-go…and a dip in the salt if you wish.

Check in with us later this week and we will post some of the wonderful Annapolis Parade of Lights videos. Be sure to keep your sound on…there’s always some wonderful music coming from each boat. Love this time of year. Hope you do too!!