Grilled Pompano and Shrimp with Lemon, Olives, and Bay Leaves

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Prepare grill. Soak skewers in warm water 30 minutes.

   Step 2

   With a sharp knife slit skin of pompano along center of each piece to keep skin from curling when grilling. Shell shrimp, leaving tail and connecting shell segment intact, and thread 4 shrimp onto each skewer. Brush shrimp and pompano all over with additional olive oil.

   Step 3

   With a sharp knife cut ends from lemons. Standing each lemon on a cut side, cut rind and pith from lemon, exposing flesh. Cut lemon segments free from membranes. Discard coarse stems from spinach. Flatten olives, a few at a time, with flat side of a large heavy knife to loosen pit from flesh and discard pits. In a small saucepan stir together olives, extra-virgin olive oil, bay leaves, and a pinch salt.

   Step 4

   Season shrimp and pompano with salt and pepper and grill on a lightly oiled rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals until just cooked through, about 3 minutes on each side. (Alternatively, grill seafood in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.) Transfer seafood with tongs to a platter and keep warm, covered. Heat olive mixture over low heat until warm.

   Step 5

   In a 12-inch skillet heat remaining tablespoon olive oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté spinach, stirring and turning it with tongs, until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Season spinach with salt and pepper.

2. Step 6

   Serve seafood over spinach, topped with lemon segments and olive mixture.