Grilled Appetizers to Celebrate the End of Summer

Grilling on Labor Day is a time-honored tradition. In the recipe below, shrimp are placed on skewers to prevent them from falling through the grill grate, although shrimp may be cooked in a grill basket. Metal skewers are recommended for grilling, however smaller wooden skewers may be used. Wooden skewers must be soaked in cold water for about 4-6 hours before grilling with them, otherwise the skewers may catch fire. The alcohol in the marinade is removed by the heat of the cooking process, leaving only the flavor of the rum. Tropical ingredients make this starter stand out. Rum comes from fermenting molasses, a product made from sugarcane, and adds a sweet Caribbean flavor to the recipe. The lime juice, another tropical staple, ties the shrimp to the dip. The appetizer is sweet and spicy in classic Caribbean style.

Gluten Free Tropical Shrimp Recipe

1 pound shrimp, large, R-T-C
4 Tablespoons rum
3 Tablespoons lime juice
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 pinch salt

1. Combine all ingredients in large re-seal-able bag. Shake the bag every hour and a half, and allow the shrimp to marinate for 4 hours.

2. Place 6 shrimp on each skewer. Discard remaining marinade. Grill over high heat with the grill lid closed, turning once, for 3 minutes per side or until shrimp is no longer transparent.

3 Serve each guest a cooled skewer with Mango Salsa Dip (below). Makes 6-8 Appetizer Portions.

A ripe mango must be used in the dip to avoid a gritty texture and bitter taste. According to "The Joy of Cooking" by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer-Becker and Ethan Becker (Simon and Schuster, 2006, pg 229), "A perfectly ripe mango gives slightly when squeezed, much like a ripe avocado." It can be a challenge to peel and pit a mango. The best method is to cut the mango away from the pit, before removing the peel with a sharp knife. When mangoes are peeled before being pitted they become slippery and are hard to grip.

Gluten Free Mango Salsa Dip Recipe

1 ripe mango - peeled, quartered and seeded
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1/2 red bell pepper
1/4 small red onion peeled
4-6 sprigs fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon honey
2 T sour cream
cayenne pepper to taste (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

1. Combine all ingredients except sour cream and spices in blender or food processor. Process until mixture is smooth.

2. Transfer to a bowl and stir in sour cream and spices. Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve.