Category Archives: Meat on a Stick

Kefta Kabobs

Posted on August 20, 2011 by She cooks...He cleans | 16 Comments

aka Ground Beef with Moroccan Spices on a Stick

Recipe adapted from Flavors of Morocco (by Ghillie Basan) and The New Book of Middle Eastern Food (by Claudia Roden)

It’s been a while since we added a post to our ever-popular series, “Meat on a Stick” – this time we looked to North Africa and the Middle East for inspiration. Ground meat kabobs are a popular street dish in Morocco, according to the cookbooks referenced above. Anything served as street food can automatically be considered delectable in my book! After all, vendors would not make much money if their only draw was “hey, eat this, it’s good for you!” Street fare should pull you in with enticing aromas, look appetizing, and also be easy to eat out of hand. These kabobs are all that. The ground meat, from grass-fed beef, was seasoned with onion, garlic, a variety of herbs and spices, plus a spice mixture known as Ras-el-Hanout, then was allowed to chill for a couple of hours so the flavors were well infused into the meat. As a result, the kabobs looked and smelled irresistible as they cooked on the grill!

Keeping the meatballs stuck on the skewers proved to be a little tricky, so I made small burgers out of about half of the meat mixture. Either way made for a delightful dinner. Typically these kabobs would be served enveloped in a warm flat-bread (yum), but we served them with a lemony cilantro-yogurt sauce, alongside grilled red bell peppers and eggplant (also yum).

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground beef or lamb (use meat with a higher fat ratio, as lean meat will tend to dry out)
1 onion, grated onto paper towels to adsorb excess moisture
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon Ras-el-Hanout (I ordered mine from The Spice House, but you can also blend your own.)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
several grindings black pepper
a small bunch of cilantro, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)

Mix the ground meat with all the other ingredients; knead vigorously, until very smooth and pasty. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Wet your hands and divide the meat into golf-ball sized balls. This will make 24-30 balls. Alternatively you can shape the meat into mini-burgers (tangerine-sized balls).

Press the meat balls firmly around square-bladed skewers, and mold into a sausage-link shape. (If your meat balls are too large, they will just fall off. Trust me.)

Prepare a grill for direct cooking at around 400F. When the coals are ready, grill the kabobs for 4-5 minutes each side, turning once or twice, until browned. Be careful not to overcook or the meat may dry out.

Serve immediately. These kabobs were perfect with grilled peppers and eggplant, but would also be great with couscous or rice.

Jeff Buckley called him “my Elvis”, Peter Gabriel performed with him. He was Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the most legendary Qawwil musician of them all. Qawwil, a devotional form of Sufi, is prayer put to music, and his six octave range and extraordinary intensity made every recording hypnotic. Here are a few to start you off.

Last Prophet is a good latter period work, done pretty much straight.

Mustt Mustt, produced at Peter Gabriel’s studios, mixes elements of Western music and beats into a something that sounds both new and old. Essential.

→ 16 Comments

Posted in Appetizers, Beef, Entrees, Meat on a Stick

Tagged beef, BGE, big green egg, burger, food, grass-fed, grill, kabobs, kebabs, kefta, low-carb, Middle Eastern, Moroccan, paleo, primal, recipe, skewer, The Spice House

Korean Honey-Sesame Chicken Skewers

Posted on July 2, 2011 by She cooks...He cleans | 15 Comments

Modified from: Barbecue! Bible by Steven Raichlen

Yes, this is yet another post about meat on a stick. We are just plain nuts about grilling meat on skewers (and there are those that would say we are just plain nuts, period). I’m pretty fond of a good sweet-salty combination, which led me to the recipe for Korean Honey-Sesame Marinade in the Barbeque! Bible. This marinade combines the salty taste of soy sauce with an assortment of sweet flavors from honey, pears, and ginger. Then there’s the garlic and the toasted sesame seeds to round it all out.

I modified the recipe to cut down on the sugar, and because I didn’t have all the right ingredients on hand. The chicken turned out great, but I’d like to try it again and stick closer to the original ingredients. Also, next time, I would like to set aside some of the marinade to brush onto the chicken while it’s grilling.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Asian (dark) sesame oil (I substituted regular sesame oil)
1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup sake or dry sherry
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds*
1 tablespoon minced, fresh ginger
1 teaspoon hot paprika (I used 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 small Asian pear or firm regular pear, peeled, cored, and diced (I did not have a pear – I used 1/2 gala apple)
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

Combine all ingredients (except chicken) in a food processor or blender; process to a smooth purée. Place the chicken strips in a resealable plastic bag or glass baking dish. Cover with the marinade and refrigerate for at least one hour, and up to 4 hours.

Set up a grill for direct cooking around 400F. Thread chicken onto skewers (I twisted the strips as I threaded them for this thicker, knotted-looking appearance. Bunching up the chicken may help keep it moist.)

Grill chicken for 3-4 minutes per side. Serve ‘em up!

*Note about toasting sesame seeds: Toasting seeds and nuts intensifies their flavors and makes them, well, toasty and better. Sesame seeds are tiny little buggers and are prone to flying all over the place and burning when you toast them, but this can be overcome. Just put the seeds in a dry, heavy skillet over medium heat, and stir them and shake the pan until they are lightly brown and you can smell the toasty goodness. Then immediately get them out of the hot pan or they will burn. Don’t turn your back on them for a second!

I’m somewhat of a gadget geek, and my most recent nifty new thing is a Kindle. I love to read, and anything that lets you carry 3500 books at a time, I’m all for. One of the more interesting aspects is the ability to read a sample of a novel. So, I gave The Cello Suites: J. S. Bach, Pablo Casals, and the Search for a Baroque Masterpiece a shot, and my, I’m glad I did! The story of the origins of Bach’s masterwork for the cello, its discovery by a 13 year old Pablo Casals in a second-hand music shop and the change it made to the musical world is fascinating!

Of course, you can’t read about Bach: Six Suites for Solo Cello without listening to them at the same time, right? This is a sublime work, one of the greatest classical recordings ever. Now, if I could only find it on vinyl!

→ 15 Comments

Posted in Appetizers, Entrees, Meat on a Stick, Poultry

Tagged asian, Bach, BBQ, BGE, big green egg, Casals, chicken, easy, garlic, ginger, grill, honey, Kindle, Korean, low-carb, marinade, pear, recipe, sesame, skewer, soy, street food

Lime-Curry Pork Skewers

Posted on June 14, 2011 by She cooks...He cleans | 5 Comments

We enjoyed the chicken satay so much last week, we decided to skewer some pork tenderloin! The Lime-Curry marinade was wonderful with the pork tenderloin, adding multiple layers of spicy flavors to what tends to be a relatively bland-tasting cut of meat. The recipe for this marinade was inspired by an Epicurious/Gourmet recipe, “Grilled Lime-Curry-Rubbed Hanger Steak with Fresh Melon-Cucumber Chutney“. Incidentally, we have prepared that recipe a couple of times and it is wonderful. The Melon-Cucumber Chutney would be great with the pork skewers also, but I didn’t have the ingredients on hand. Next time I will!

Ingredients:

1 pork tenderloin
juice from 2 limes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet curry powder*
1/2 tablespoon hot curry powder*
2 teaspoons honey (or sweetener of choice)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (optional)

* The Spice House has a nice selection of curry blends. Check it out here.

Butterfly the pork tenderloin to bring it all to a relatively even thickness. (I did this in two parts: first by cutting the tenderloin lengthwise about 3/4 of the way through into 2 joined sections. Then slice about 3/4 through the center point of each of the 2 sections so that the meat opens up like a book.) Cut the tenderloin, lengthwise, into long strips about an inch wide. Place the meat in a resealable bag or glass dish.

Puree the remaining ingredients in a small food processor or blender. Pour the marinade over the pork strips and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours.

When ready to grill, thread the pork onto the skewers. Set up a grill for direct cooking at around 400F. When coals are ready, grill the pork skewers for 3-4 minutes on each side. Take them off the grill and garnish with chopped cilantro, if you wish.

We served these curried pork skewers with oven-roasted sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are a great match for curried dishes because the flavors are so complementary. Another good choice would be roasted or grilled cauliflower. A mango chutney or the melon-cucumber chutney from Epicurious would also be a refreshing addition – and one that I will include next time I make this!

Enjoy!

First up, a new release (and band) from some long time favorites- the Tedeschi Trucks Band with Revelator. This would be Susan Tedeschi and husband Derek Trucks. Now I saw Derek play when he was around 12 or 13 years old- and he was jaw droppingly amazing then, and has only gotten better as a solo artist and as a member of the Allman Brothers. His wife sings with a soulful, bluesy style ala Bonnie Raitt. They’ve joined up and released a great album, very funky and blues filled. Love it!

And speaking of Bonnie Raitt, this first solo record might sound a bit raw to fans of her later, more pop-oriented material, but she’s the real deal. Great vocalist, brilliant slide guitarist, just great. Get funky people!

→ 5 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Meat on a Stick, Pork, Sauces, Marinades, and Rubs

Tagged BBQ, BGE, big green egg, Bonnie Raitt, cilantro, curry, Derek Trucks, easy, gluten free, grill, lime, low-carb, marinade, paleo, pork, primal, recipe, skewers, tenderloin, The Spice House

Chicken Satay with Grilled Vegetables and Basil

Posted on June 9, 2011 by She cooks...He cleans | 9 Comments

Loosely adapted from MarthaStewart.com

Grilling outdoors in 90+ temperatures is a little brutal, but this simple meal will get you back into the air conditioning in no time! We wished that we had grilled twice as much chicken, it was so good. The flavors from the marinade really come through, and the grilled vegetables with basil were the perfect accompaniment. We grilled the vegetables first, then the chicken. Serve with or without peanut sauce.

Ingredients for Chicken Satay:

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup miso tamari sauce, or coconut aminos, or soy sauce
1/3 cup water
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon honey or coconut palm sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons sesame oil or olive oil (Note: I tried to use coconut oil, but it doesn’t remain liquid when the chicken is refrigerated while marinating. D’oh.)

Butterfly the chicken breast halves and cut into thin strips. Place in resealable bag.

Puree the remaining ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pour the marinade over the chicken and chill for at least one hour, or up to 6 hours. If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 2 or 3 hours so they won’t burn on the grill.

Set up a grill for direct cooking around 400F. Thread chicken onto skewers (I twisted the strips as I threaded them for this thicker, knotted-looking appearance. It possibly helped keep the meat moist…hard to tell…but it was moist!)

Grill chicken for 3-4 minutes per side.

Ingredients for Grilled Vegetables:

2 red bell peppers, cut into strips
1 zucchini, halved and cut into ~1-inch chunks
1 yellow squash, halved and cut into ~1-inch chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, or pepper blend
splash of balsamic vinegar
handful of sweet basil, julienned

Set up a grill for direct cooking around 400F. Toss vegetables in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper, until well coated.

Place a perforated grill plate or basket on the grill. Spray with non-stick spray, if necessary, and place vegetables on the grill. Cook for around 10-12 minutes, occasionally turning the vegetables over, until the vegetables are lightly charred and tender. Return to bowl – add a splash of balsamic vinegar and a handful of chopped basil, toss to mix. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Let’s have a Neil Young/Stephen Stills night, why not? First up, one of rock’s earliest “supergroups”, Buffalo Springfield on Retrospective, a great collection pulled from their somewhat uneven albums. Nothing second rate here, with Young’s “Mr. Soul” and “I Am A Child” and of course the classic protest moment of Stills, “For What It’s Worth”. They have recently reformed for some extremely expensive reunion shows, but I’ll stick with my old lps, thanks!

And what needs to be said about Deja Vu, the first album from CSNY? “Carry On”, “Teach Your Children”, “Our House”…it just goes on and on. A classic!

→ 9 Comments

Posted in Appetizers, Entrees, Meat on a Stick, Poultry, Sauces, Marinades, and Rubs, Side dishes

Tagged basil, BBQ, bell pepper, BGE, big green egg, chicken, courgette, grill, low-carb, marinade, primal, recipe, satay, side dish, side dishes, skewers, yellow squash, zucchini

Chipotle-Lime Marinated Pork Kebabs

Posted on February 28, 2011 by She cooks...He cleans | 1 Comment

It was one of those first days of near-spring when it felt great to be outdoors. Sunny, but with enough chill in the air to sit around the chiminea on the patio and indulge in some crossword puzzles while James stoked the fire with pinon wood, supplemented by fallen branches from the yard. It was also a great day to grill some kebabs on the Big Green Egg!

Chipotle, lime, cilantro and garlic remind me of the flavors of the Southwest and pork tenderloin really soaks them up. You could also use chicken breasts, and I promise you will be impressed by how great they turn out. This marinade works as a brine, keeping the meat from drying out during the grill. Every bite was juicy and jumping with flavor and a bit of heat from the chile. Every bite was also gone at the end of the evening!

Enjoy this with a margarita for the ultimate experience!

Marinade Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 chipotle chile, from canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
4 T fresh lime juice
1 T honey
2 T water
3-4 cloves garlic, peeled
1 t kosher salt
1/2 t ground cumin
Cilantro leaves from 4-5 stalks (small handful)

Kebab Ingredients

16-20 ounces pork tenderloin, cut into ~ 1 1/2 inch cubes
3 zucchini, cut into 1 inch rounds
1 red and 1 yellow bell pepper, cored and sliced into ~ 1 1/2 inch strips
Extra virgin olive oil, Kosher salt and pepper
Limes and chopped cilantro

Place marinade ingredients in a small food processor bowl and process until garlic and chile are well blended.

Put pork cubes in a gallon-size, resealable bag and pour marinade into bag. Mix together well and refrigerate from 2-6 hours.

Place zucchini and peppers into a large bowl and toss with enough olive oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper and toss again.

Fire up the grill and bring it to a medium high temperature (around 400F). Spread coals around to produce as even as heat as possible.

Although mixed meat and vegetable skewers are pretty, I think it works best to put them on separate skewers for grilling since the cooking times may differ. Thread the meat on skewers, pushing the skewer in against the grain of the meat. On separate skewers, thread the zucchini and peppers.

When the grill is ready, spray the grill with oil and arrange the vegetable skewers on the grate. Close the grill and cook for around 15 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until vegetables are tender and slightly charred. Remove the skewers to a baking dish and keep warm in a 150F oven, if desired. (Also good at room temperature.)

Now arrange the meat skewers on the grill and grill for 15-20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, until meat is cooked “medium” to “medium well”. Cooking time will vary grill to grill – these times worked on The Egg.

To serve, garnish with some chopped cilantro and give it a good squeeze of lime juice!

This guy goes good with everything…the one, the only Willie! This record, his breakout Shotgun Willie launched Willie into the mainstream, giving us “Whiskey River”, “Devil in a Sleeping Bag” and his incredible version of Leon Russell’s “A Song For You”. Don’t get much better to my ears than Willie, and you gotta love a album that starts with Shotgun Willie sits around in his underwear…”. I wouldn’t advise that with the kebabs however…hot!

willie