Orange & Rosemary Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp

I stalked him again... While Greg of Sippity Sup was away in Hawaii recently I was having a sinful orgy of sorts. Night after night. No, not that sin. I was having a field day cooking up one of his more recent creations night after night: Orange and Rosemary Prosciutto Wrapped Grilled Shrimp (Marinated in Sambuca.) Now its not often you get to work in the dual sins of pork and shellfish into a dish so save these for friends of the non-observant variety. Or, do as I did and lead them into temptation as no amount of prayer can save you from THESE truly addicting delights. And while the title of this sheer genius of a recipe is in need of abbreviation the ingredient list is not. There are only a handful of ingredients but each is required as they all contribute a vital element to the final dish. After first bite I couldn't imagine a single change. Not one. Let me tell you that in the world of food blogdom this practically NEVER happens. Show a blogger a recipe and we will always want to change something. Substitute a spice here, change a proportion there, something! Anything. While I was a bit skittish on the thought of using Sambuca as a marinade it turned out it is perfectly tamed by the orange zest which in turn is enhanced by the prosciutto, which benefits from the rosemary, etc. See what I mean?

I just can't seem to get enough of these and so I'm going through my address book right now trying to put together yet another gathering of friends or family so I can show these off some more. We have enjoyed these so much lately that we now refer to these as "those shrimp things". As in, "Baby, are we going to have 'those shrimp things' again tonight?" But like I said, the name needed an abbreviation anyway so "shrimp things" it is. Easily prepared ahead of time, pop them onto a hot grill after the first guests have arrived and you are good to go. They come off the grill nearly as you get them on. Don't forget to bask in the glory you will receive when your guests try them. If I am to make any change in the future it would be to work these into a main course or perhaps serve with a pasta. The recipe itself won't change a bit. Ever. Thanks Greg! Please go visit Greg at Sippity Sup where he is now participating in the Food Buzz food blogger challenge. He is as good as any food blogger out there so if you are so inclined, I'm sure he would appreciate your vote as well!

Orange and Prosciutto Wrapped Grilled Shrimp
(Word for word from Sippity Sup!)

• 24 large shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails intact
• 1⁄2 c sambuca liqueur
• 1⁄4 c extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 t orange zest, plus more for garnish
• 3 T fresh rosemary, leaves and soft tips only, plus more for garnish
• kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 8 slices prosciutto (about 4 ounces)

Place the shrimp in a single layer into a shallow sided baking pan. In a small bowl whisk together the sambuca, olive oil, 1 teaspoon orange zest, 2 tablespoons rosemary, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the shrimp. Make sure they are well coated. Let marinate 10 minutes and then turn them over to marinate 10 more minutes.

Carefully cut the prosciutto slices into thirds lengthwise. (I used kitchen scissors for this.) Try and keep each strip intact. Wrap a strip of prosciutto around the center of each shrimp, tucking a rosemary leaf or two between the shrimp and prosciutto. Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Cook the shrimp, turning once until cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. As the shrimp cooks the prosciutto should shrink a bit making a very attractive looking appetizer. Transfer to a serving plate and garnish with a bit more rosemary and some orange zest.