From the Chef ~ Rosemary Kebabs with Monkfish, Pancetta and Bread

This awesome recipe comes from “The Naked Chef” Jamie Oliver via FoodNetwork.com!  Lots of big flavors packed onto one kebab, and are they ever harmonious and addictive together!  This is a very easy recipe—prep the ingredients, assemble on skewers, bake, drizzle and indulge.  Substitute fresh, local white fish like true cod, lingcod or halibut—scallops would be nice, too!—or stick with monkfish if you can find it.  Likewise with the pancetta; good bacon or even prosciutto is well-suited to this preparation.  And please, don’t waste your money on several packages of stubby, lifeless rosemary!  Just give a call—I’ve got plenty of long, fresh twigs that will crush whatever you can find at the store and I’m ready to share!

1. Preheat oven to 400°.  Cut up 1 lb. white fish into roughly 1” cubes and set aside in bowl.  Cut up about 2 cups of quality bread (I am thinking ciabatta loaves from Essential Bakery or Como Bread from Grand Central) into roughly 1” cubes and add to fish. 

2. Keeping the top 2” of rosemary leaves, run your thumb and forefingers down the length of four 10” fresh rosemary twigs, removing all leaves.  Bash these leaves up in a pestle and mortar with a clove or two of roughly chopped garlic.  Mix with 5-6 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil.  Pour this over fish and bread and mix thoroughly.

3. Cut off tip of rosemary at an angle so the twig is sharp.  Sting fish and bread cubes, alternating until skewer is full. Lightly season with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Loosely wrap a slice (or two, if necessary) of pancetta, bacon or prosciutto around each kebab, weaving it in and around the fish and bread.

4. Place skewers on a roasting tray, sprinkle with any leftover oil and rosemary, and bake in preheated over for 15-20 minutes, until bread is crisp and golden.  Drizzle a little bit of good balsamic vinegar over each piece of fish, then a little extra olive oil and any juice from the tray.  Serve simply with a salad and some white wine or cold beer.  Or make shorter skewers for fancy hors d’oeurves to pass around with prosecco at a holiday cocktail party.