BOURBON GRILLED-SHRIMP SKEWERS

24 wooden skewers
1 cup good-quality Kentucky or Tennessee bourbon
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/3 cup chopped shallots
25 slices applewood- or hickory-smoked bacon
24 jumbo (16-count) shrimp, peeled and deveined

Soak the skewers in water for 30 minutes.

Combine bourbon, brown sugar, corn syrup, pepper and shallots in a large saute pan over medium heat. Be careful, because the bourbon may flame. Have a pot lid close by to suffocate the flames if necessary.

Simmer the sauce until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

Wrap one slice of bacon around each shrimp. Pierce it with a skewer. Continue with remaining bacon and shrimp.

Light a charcoal fire or preheat your gas grill on medium. Oil your grill's cooking grate. Grill the shrimp until the bacon is crisp and the shrimp are cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Serve with the sauce.

Serves 8
Source: The Big Book of Fish and Shellfish by Fred Thompson