California Farm Surf and Turf Grilled Skewers

Skewer your largest whole pieces, specifically the whole fresh shiitake mushrooms, onto both ends of your skewer. Arrange the whole lobster tail, scampi, and scallops in the middle. Proceed to cut your meats, fish, sweet peppers, and pineapple to ensure they are all of a consistent height. Place each piece of seafood and meat between vegetables or fruits. Carefully skewer each individual morsel through its center, making sure the flat side of the skewer is facing upwards. Once assembled, cover the skewers with a towel and let them reach room temperature.

Test the heat of your charcoal fire by hand; it's ready for grilling when the heat is even and no longer glowing white hot. Brush both the top and bottom of the skewers with a mixture of pepper, salt, balsamic vinegar, and sesame oil, then place them over the fire. Close the grill lid to prevent any flame flare-ups. Check the skewers every 5 minutes, turning them as needed. Continue to grill and turn until the lobsters have turned red and the steak pieces and ahi tuna are nicely browned.

Present the skewers family-style on a large platter. Guests can use a fork to easily slide individual bites off the skewer. Serve alongside buttermilk ranch dressing for dipping, warm, freshly baked sourdough bread, and homemade beer. The result should be evenly grilled, delicious, and perfectly cooked without any burning!