G’s POTATO CHIP FISH KEBABS
Here’s an oldie, but a goodie—circa 1968. My childhood and dear friend Janis had the most beloved father on the block. He was a man way ahead of his time. I remember spending countless hours at their house as he introduced us to everything from Fred and Ginger dancing in Top Hat to Mahler’s Symphony No. 9. His enthusiasm for the things he loved was infectious and it made us love them too.
He also knew his way around a kitchen in the days when it was strictly the woman’s domain. He even won a cooking contest sponsored by the Potato Chip Institute International for this dish—not kidding!
But what’s really a hoot is the article that was written about him when he won. My, how times have changed. If you can enlarge the picture below, it’s worth reading the article! (Thanks Janis for sending it to me!)
This recipe is being reprinted in honor of what would have been G’s 97nd birthday. We miss you G!
INGREDIENTS
MARINADE
10 oz Italian dressing
1 clove garlic, crushed
¼ cup white cooking wine
¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste
KEBABS
12 jumbo shrimps, deveined and shelled
1 pound scallops
3/4 pound fillet of sole
12 cherry tomatoes
6 small white onions, peeled
1 green pepper
1 pound bacon strips
1 package potato chips (approx. 5 oz)
1 cup jasmine rice
1 cup clam juice
1 cup water
salt and pepper to taste
PREPARATION
Prepare marinade by combining all marinade ingredients listed. Cut up the fillets and green pepper into 2” pieces for skewering. Par-boil peeled onions for 90 seconds. Drain. Add all the fish and vegetables to the marinade. Cover bowl and marinate for two hours, gently stirring occasionally.
Cut a tiny whole in the potato chip bag to let out the air. Crush potato chips inside the bag with a rolling pin. Coat each marinated shrimp, scallop, and piece of fillet with crushed potato chips by pressing chips onto each piece of fish with the heel of your hand. Carefully lay coated fish on a plate.
Skewer fish and vegetables in a pleasing pattern, wrapping alternate fish pieces in bacon. Broil skewers on low, turning them a ¼ turn every few minutes until the bacon is cooked and the potato chip edges are dark brown—about 15 minutes.
Cook the rice as per box directions using equal parts of water and clam juice as the liquid. Serve the kebabs over a mound of rice.