Simple and elegant shrimp skewers

After all the cooking and shopping that the holidays inspired us to do, I'm looking forward to pulling out some easy recipes that use ingredients that I keep on hand. One of my favourite items to keep in the freezer is frozen shrimp.

I keep both cooked and uncooked versions. Raw shrimp cook up in minutes and have more flavour, so I use them for pasta dishes and easy sheet-pan suppers. But cooked shrimp have their place on my menu, too. I love how quickly they thaw for salads and appetisers and other cold preparations.

A super easy go-to recipe for shrimp for us is my Shrimp Pineapple Brochette, which uses easy ingredients you can even use canned pineapple to create something that still feels high-end.

It's healthy and versatile, working as either a meal when paired with some greens, a first course, or even an appetiser for parties. Shrimp brings protein and elegance, while pineapple balances out with both sweetness and acid. I use prepared pesto for some fat and flavour, and I highly recommend keeping a jar of prepared pesto in the freezer to scoop out for recipes. But, if you don't have any, just substitute a bunch of chopped herbs, olive oil and lemon juice for an easy, tasty version. And with skewers, I think it goes without saying that you can swap in whatever fruit you have in your kitchen grapes, grapefruit, orange segments all work beautifully.

Shrimp and Pineapple Brochettes

Servings: 4

Start to finish: 10 minutes

1 lb large cooked shrimp, cleaned, thawed if frozen

1 cup pineapple cubes, about 1/2-inch each, drained and halved if using typical large canned chunks (grapefruit or orange may be used)

1 tbs prepared pesto sauce

1 tbs lemon or lime juice

1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

black pepper

A pinch (1/8 tsp) kosher salt

chopped fresh mint, parsley or

basil, optional

12 small or 8 large skewers,

or 24 toothpicks if making appetiser bites

Cut shrimp into halves or thirds, depending on size of shrimp. Thread the skewers with alternating shrimp and fruit. Lay the skewers on a platter.

In a small bowl, add the lemon juice to the pesto sauce to thin it and stir.

Drizzle the pesto mixture over the skewers, aiming mostly for the shrimp. Drizzle a few drops of olive oil on to the skewers. Top with freshly ground black pepper, the kosher salt and chopped herbs, if desired. Serve as a first course, an appetiser, or with a green salad for a light meal.