Grilled Seafood or Chicken Skewers

Rinse 3 to 4 pounds of any combination of the following: boned, skinned salmon; albacore tuna fillet; boned, skinned chicken breast halves; peeled, deveined shrimp (20 to 30 per pound); and/or sea scallops (about 1 in. wide). Pat dry.

Cut salmon or albacore against the grain into 1/2-inch-wide strips. Cut chicken lengthwise into 1-inch-wide, 1/2-inch-thick strips. Use a small sharp knife to butterfly shrimp: cut lengthwise along back of shrimp, stopping before you cut all the way through, then spread apart to flatten.

Thread one strip of fish or chicken, two scallops, or one shrimp onto each soaked 12-inch wood skewer. Brush lightly with Asian sesame oil or vegetable oil.

Place on a lightly oiled grill over a solid bed of hot coals or high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds); close lid on gas grill. Cook, turning once, until seafood is opaque but still moist-looking in center of thickest part or chicken is no longer pink in the center (cut to test), about 5 minutes for tuna, chicken, and shrimp, 8 to 10 minutes for salmon and scallops. Serve warm with mustard, ginger, or ponzu dipping sauce.

Ginger dipping sauce: In a blender or food processor, whirl 1/4 cup coarsely chopped white onion, 1/2 cup peeled, coarsely chopped ginger, and 1/3 cup peeled, coarsely chopped sweet apple (such as Red Delicious), scraping sides of bowl as necessary, until smooth. Add 3/4 cup soy sauce, 6 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 1/2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil, and 1/4 cup sugar. Whirl until smooth. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 1 week. Whisk before serving. Makes about 2 cups.

Mustard dipping sauce: In a blender, whirl 3/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water, 1/4 cup dry mustard, 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds, and 1/4 cup sugar until smooth. Stir in an additional 1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 1 week. Whisk before serving. Makes about 1 1/3 cups.

Ponzu dipping sauce: In a 2- to 3-quart pan over high heat, bring to a boil 1/2 cup sake or dry white wine, 1/2 cup mirin (sweet rice wine; available in supermarkets), 1/2 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup rice vinegar, and 1/4 cup dried bonito flakes (optional; available in Asian markets); if omitting bonito flakes, combine all other ingredients in a bowl and chill. Lower heat and simmer 15 minutes. Strain and chill until cold, about 1 hour. Stir in 3 tablespoons lemon juice. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 1 week. Makes 2 cups.

Nutritional analysis per 1-ounce salmon skewer.