Recipe: Grilled Lemongrass Shrimp

Lemongrass is used in this recipe as both a flavor component and a presentation tool. The stalks, when used as skewers, delicately flavor the shrimp from the inside, while the sweet, spicy marinade opens the palate. Because the shrimp are so flavorful, the dipping sauce should be treated more as a garnish rather than a sauce. The trick is of course not to overcook your shrimp. We use Vietnamese spotted prawns for this plating -- the large, luscious crustaceans provide a meaty platform for the fusion of ingredients. Your first taste is the succulent meat of the shrimp and then the explosion of flavor components arrive on the palate.

gilded fork, recipe, grilled shrimp, lemongrass