Fishermen Kabobs (Spiede Alla Marinara)

While this recipe could easily be prepared in any Italian coastal town, it is the Italian Riviera that comes to mind whenever I prepare it. Breathtaking Ligurian towns like Portofino, Santa Margherita, Rapallo, and Genoa have magical landscapes that are almost as sumptuous as the local cuisine. The region of Liguria is noted for a very fragrant variety of basil (Genoa, after all, is the birthplace of pesto), as well as wonderful produce and seafood.

Use whatever fresh fish, seafood, and herbs you have on hand in this recipe to come up with your own favorite combination. It’s worth the effort to purchase “dry” scallops for this recipe—they are free of water-retaining additives—in order to ensure you’re getting the real thing. Despite claims of being “natural, fresh, wild,” etc., many scallops available on the market contain up to 80% water. Keep in mind that you will need four skewers for this dish. If you are using wooden skewers, you will need to soak them in water for a minimum of 20 minutes first. For additional flavor, use rosemary stems as skewers.