Don't you think a kebab party sounds like fun? I'm thinking outdoors, sunny but mild, and a grill that's hot and ready. I see a table lined up with dishes that are piled high with cubes of all sorts of raw meat and fish...baked tofu...bowls filled to the brim with chunks of fresh vegetables and fruit...and jars upon jars of skewers in bamboo, wood, and metal just waiting to be threaded.

I'm thinking there's a stack of baggies at the end of the table with bottles of marinades in all sorts of fun flavor profiles sitting next to them. People thread their skewers, slide them into baggies, then cover them with their marinade(s) of choice. Seal the bag, write their name on it, and set it in a cooler for half an hour or so. When they're ready, they can mosey on over to the grill.

Of course, there would also be a table filled with fruit and pound cake, and other things you might slide on to a skewer to eat raw or as a dessert. Oh, and plenty of fun sauce and dipping options, as well. Probably some sort of chocolate fountain; it doesn't have to be big.

But what about the drink table? I'm picturing everything from buckets of cold beer to bottles of liquor to a wee bit of bubbly and sparkling water. Bottles of juices and fruit and veggie juices would be lined up next to those offerings to give 'em a little oomph. Plus, skewers just begging to hold fruit that mimics your drink of choice—and a healthy offering of antipasti. Or is it antipasto. I know antipasto is singular and antipasti is plural, but for some reason, I can still never tell which one I'm supposed to be saying...and when.

That kebab party is definitely going to happen one of these days. But right this minute, I'm joining the Progressive Eats team to bring you a virtual Kebab Fest! This should help to get the ideas flowing, so you can plan your own menu.

Oh, and I'm bringing the drinks! I knew the minute I was invited to this party what I'd be bringing. Just popped into my head like it belonged there. Bloody beer (basically a cross between a Bloody Mary and Michelada...but mostly a Michelada) that's garnished with an antipasto (i?) kebab skewer. It's a garnish AND a snack.

Bloody Beer with Antipasto Kebab Garnish

Michelada meets Bloody Mary in this beer-based cocktail. Garnish it with an antipasto kebab, that doubles as a snack.

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 10 mins

Keywords: beverage snack beer tomatoes

Ingredients (serves 4) for the antipasto kebab garnish:

• 36 - 40 individual pieces antipasto of your choice (such as salami or other cured meat, peperoncini or other peppers, olives, mushrooms (marinated), artichoke hearts, cherry or grape tomatoes, small mozzarella balls, smoked provolone, anchovies, etc)

for the bloody beers:

• 1 cup low-sodium tomato or vegetable juice, spicy or regular
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• hot sauce
• Worcestershire sauce
• 4 (12 ounce) bottles or cans beer (a light lager or ale works well here)

for the glasses:

• kosher salt
• crushed red chile flakes

Instructions make the antipasto skewers:

Using four skewers that are a little bit longer than each glass is tall, thread a combination of your antipasto ingredients down the length of the skewer; I used about 9-10 pieces per skewer. Set aside.

rim the glasses:

Cover the bottom of a saucer with salt and add a couple big pinches of crushed red chile flakes. Rub rims of 4 pint glasses with a lime wedge; dip in chile salt. If you like, you can fill the glasses with ice.

making the bloody beer:

To each glass, add 1/4 cup vegetable juice, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and a dash or each the hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Top up with the beer, and garnish with an antipasto skewer. Enjoy immediately.

-Bloody Beer inspired by Bon Appetit

Bloody Beer w/ Antipasto Kebab Garnish was first published at girlichef.com 2015 Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez | girlichef.