Chef Jim Gerhardt—Limestone Restaurant, Louisville

Among all the talented chefs in Louisville, Jim Gerhardt has to be my favorite. When he was developing his fabulous Kentucky Fine-Dining Menu at the Seelbach, I had the pleasure of experimenting with his Sourmash Bourbon Bread in my home. Limestone, his newest restaurant, is everything you would expect a great Jim Gerhardt dining experience to be. Someday I may give him the secret to my Derby Grits. Mmm . . . maybe not . . .

Marinade

Ѕ cup soy sauce

Ѕ cup balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

Ѕ bunch green onions, minced

Ѕ cup olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

Grated lemon peel

Brochettes

6 strips applewood-smoked bacon, halved

1 (12-ounce) beef tenderloin, cut into 12 squares (1 ounce each)

12 jumbo tiger shrimp, shelled and deveined

12 bamboo skewers (soaked in water)

Juice of 3 lemons

To make marinade, combine ingredients in fat baking dish. Prepare grill. To make brochettes, par-cook bacon in oven for

about 5 minutes. Set aside. Wrap a tenderloin square with bacon and place on skewer. Wrap a shrimp with bacon and add to skewer. Place brochettes in marinade until time to grill. Grill over hot coals until shrimp is pink, about 4 to 6 minutes. Arrange brochettes on platter and squeeze lemon juice onto each.

Yield: 6 servings