I came across this recipe years ago (though I don’t recall where) when I was looking for something to use up a lot of rosemary from my garden. Some years, I don’t get much rosemary. It either gets sick or just doesn’t grow very big. Other years, though, there’s more than I can possibly use. I’ve never had any luck getting it to grow as a perennial here in Zone 5, although I know folks who do, so I end up planting new every year.

This dish is a great appetizer for six or an entrée for two. Using the rosemary stems as skewers adds a lovely extra punch of flavor. The recipe is quick and easy, just the thing for a weeknight dinner!

There are a lot more leaves on the stems than are used in the marinade, so I ended up drying them for later use in Scarborough Salt and other things. Rosemary is such an intense flavor that most recipes don’t call for very much. Do you have a favorite way to use up your extra fresh rosemary? Let me know in the comments below!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon packed fresh oregano leaves

1½ teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

1 garlic clove

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 teaspoons olive oil

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

dash of ground cayenne

1 pound (454 g) shrimp, peeled & deveined

6 (6”/15 cm) rosemary stems

Preparation:

1.) Mince the fresh herb leaves and the garlic. I used my Cuisinart Mini-Mate (which, sadly, has been discontinued), but a knife works just as well.

2.) Place the minced herbs and garlic in a baking dish. Add the lemon zest, olive oil, black pepper, and cayenne; mix well.

3.) Add the shrimp; toss gently to coat. Let the mixture marinate in the fridge for 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Preheat the grill on high. Strip any leaves and branches from the rosemary stems. Thread the shrimp on the stems. It helps stabilize the kebabs if you skewer each shrimp in two places, but I don’t usually bother.