Kabobs
Shelly
08/26/09
We are making kabob's for a group of 60-70 people and I was wondering how much chicken, beef, pork, and shrimp we will need to feel all 60-70 people? We are planning on putting each type of meat and vegetables on each skewer. Also if you have an idea of how many potatoes, peppers, and onions we will need, that would be helpful...Thanks
ellen
08/27/09
Shelly, you can't put all the different meats on one skewer; they have different cooking times and some will be way overdone when the rest is not yet safe. The same is a concern with the vegetables; they cook at different rates and you can have overcooked cherry tomatoes and crisp onions at the same time.

You also are serving shrimp, and it is a catering truism that you never have any shrimp left. Everyone eats all they can get. So if you make skewers of shrimps, some people will take 2 or three. Grilled, they cook much faster than any of the other meats.

So you have to make some decisions. If the budget is limited, consider serving the shrimp as a chilled cocktail, possibly Mexican style, in the sauce with other additions, pre-portioned into individual containers such as the small clear plastic wine/punch type glasses widely available. Thus, people will take just one each, and you can get away with 1 pound peeled for each 4-6 people. A recipe is included here for you.

Or else, allow 2 pounds unpeeled (take off the legs, but not the shells) for each 5-6 people for skewers. PLUS 1 pound beef for each 4-5, PLUS 1 pound chicken for each 5-6, PLUS 1 pound pork for each 6. Kabobs are a meat intensive meal.

MEXICAN SHRIMP COCKTAIL
"Coktele de camarones" served in pretty see through glasses with tostados and saltines, it is meant to be eaten like a soup and not a dip.
8 appetizer portions, 3-4 main portions

2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 small or 1 large avocados, diced
2 cucumbers OR 1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 tomatoes, diced
OPTIONAL 1 medium red onion, chopped OR small bunch green onions
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
OPTIONAL 1 jalapeņo, seeded and chopped
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, de-veined and steamed *
Up to 1 1/2 to 3 cups Clamato juice(may use spicy or plain V8 if desired); to taste for amount of wetness desired.
3 limes, quartered
Tabasco sauce
OPTIONAL vegetable for garnish

Mix all ingredients except the limes and Tobasco in a large non-reactive container. Let sit for a few hours in refrigerator, or overnight. Portion into individual servings. Garnish tops with a bit of diced avocado, or cilantro sprigs. Serve with limes and Tabasco sauce.

* Do not over-cook the shrimp. When done they curl into a "C", when overcooked, they curl into an "O".