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Sunday BBQ: Ground Lamb Kebabs

YumSugar — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 06:00:25 -0700

Ever since we had a detailed discussion in the office about how much we love lamb, I've been in the mood for it. Because I don't make it all that often, I want it to be something special - yet not too expensive.

That's why I decided on a distinctive recipe for kofta, or ground meat kebabs, that calls for lamb, silky crème fraîche, delicate shallots, and pomegranate molasses for a complex yet delicate flavor.

These go on the grill first, before being simmered for a bit on the stovetop, which helps turn them tender and unctuous. See the recipe after the break

Do You Think Food Tastes Better When It's on a Stick?

YumSugar — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 11:45:32 -0700

After discovering my new favorite outdoor dinner fare, pork and mango skewers, and falling in love with Party's killer prosciutto, melon, and mozzarella brochettes, the two of us came to a consensus: certain foods simply taste better when they're served on a stick. Like nibbling on anything mini, there's something about the novelty of eating surf and turf, caprese salad, or pizza on a skewer that never seems to get old. I like to hope that the kebab trend will always stick around. What do you think? Does food taste better when it's on a stick?

Chow Down on Pork 'n' Mango Skewers

YumSugar — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:15:20 -0700

Skewers are quintessential Summer food. They cook quickly on the barbecue, keep the house cool, and bring everyone outside to enjoy the wonderfully warm weather! This recipe for ancho-chile-marinated pork skewered with mangoes is a perfect combination of spicy and sweet. The cilantro sprinkled on top adds freshness and flavor to the already complex dish. To keep the entire dinner finger- and outdoor-friendly, I simply served it with barbecued corn. If you can't find mangoes, other fruits such as pineapples, peaches, or nectarines would be great substitutes. To get started on these succulent and tropical-inspired skewers keep reading.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Steak and Potato Kebabs

partysugar — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:00:18 -0700

What's not to love about an entire meal on a stick? Kebabs are simple to prepare and fun to eat. While the ingredient variations are endless, this recipe uses strip steak, poblano peppers, white onion, and red potatoes. A quick dipping sauce - consisting of cilantro, sour cream, cumin, and chili powder - provides a Southwestern spin to the skewers. If you don't eat red meat, substitute pork, chicken, or fish. Check out the recipe and read more.

Steak and Potato Kebabs
Eating Well

Ingredients

1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, minced
1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon chile powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
4 new or baby red potatoes
10 ounces strip steak, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 poblano pepper or 1/2 large green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large sweet onion, cut into 1-inch chunks

Directions

Combine cilantro, vinegar, sour cream, garlic, chile powder, cumin and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
Preheat grill to high.
Place potatoes in a microwave-safe container. Cover and microwave on High until just tender when pierced with a fork, 3 to 3 1/2 minutes.
Toss the potatoes, steak and pepper pieces with oil and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
Thread the potatoes, steak, peppers and onion chunks onto 4 skewers. Grill, turning once or twice, until the steak reaches desired doneness, about 6 minutes for medium. Serve the kebabs with the reserved sauce.

Serves 2.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 269 calories; 9 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 65 mg cholesterol; 16 g carbohydrate; 30 g protein; 2 g fiber; 368 mg sodium; 769 mg potassium.

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Reinvent Surf and Turf With Shrimp and Chorizo Skewers

partysugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:50:43 -0700

There's something so satisfying about the combination of briny, salty seafood and hearty, juicy meat. While this marriage - surf and turf - is nothing new, it gets cleverly updated in this simple recipe. The shrimp is tossed in a mixture of garlic, chile powder, and caraway seeds. Although caraway seeds aren't the first ingredient that comes to mind when making a quick marinade for shrimp, they enhance the flavor of the shrimp to better complement the chorizo. When grocery shopping for this dish, look for large shrimp, otherwise they won't fit around the chorizo slices. If you can't find chorizo, substitute linguiça or another spicy, robust sausage. To throw these babies on the barbie, get the recipe and read more.

Spicy Shrimp and Chorizo Kebabs
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

2 large garlic cloves, thickly sliced
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
2 tablespoons pure chile powder, such as ancho
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
8 small chorizo (about 1/2 pound total), sliced 1/2 inch thick

Directions

On a cutting board, using the flat side of a chef's knife, mash the garlic and salt to a coarse paste. Add the caraway seeds and finely chop them.
Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the chile powder and olive oil. Add the shrimp and toss to coat.
Meanwhile, bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the chorizo and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. Drain and pat dry. Let cool slightly.
Tuck a chorizo slice in the crook of a shrimp and thread onto a skewer; the shrimp should be attached at both ends. Push it to the end of the skewer and repeat with two more shrimp and chorizo slices. Using more skewers, repeat with the remaining shrimp and chorizo.
Grill the kebabs over a hot fire, turning once or twice, until charred and the shrimp are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately.

Serves 6.

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Sunday BBQ: Italian Sausage Kebabs

YumSugar — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 06:00:09 -0700

This weekend might be a sunny one, and since I don't have any major plans, I'm thinking of inviting some high school friends over for an ultra-chill dinner. It's so casual that I'm not exactly positive what I'll be serving yet, but one thing's for sure: I'll definitely be grilling some of these skewers. They're goofproof to make, portable, and contain the perfect ratio of crunchy, charred bell pepper to spiced, succulent pork sausage and sautéed spinach. They take a mere 15 minutes to cook through, so get your hands on the recipe after the jump

Throw Some Fruit on the Barbie

YumSugar — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:15:41 -0700

I've always loved barbecued fruit, such as grilled pineapples and peaches. So for a recent dinner party, I fused shish-kebab style skewers with fruit to create a warm, juicy dessert! I used figs, nectarines, and pineapple, but other fruit such as apricots, mangoes, and cantaloupe would be equally delicious. As the fruit grills, the natural sugar caramelizes, enhancing the sweetness and creating perfect grill marks.

My guests gobbled up all of the kebabs. They were such a hit that my next gathering is going to be a three-course skewered meal!

I'll start with Party's Caprese skewers, follow with a simple meat and veggie kebab, and finish with these scrumptious fruit kebabs! To throw a little fruit of your own on the barbie, read more.

Grilled Fruit Kebabs
Original Recipe

Ingredients

1/2 pineapple, cut into bite-size pieces
2 nectarines, cut into bite-size pieces
5 figs, halved
1 lemon
1/8 cup brown sugar
Canola or vegetable oil for oiling the grill
10 skewers

Directions

Soak skewers for an hour in water, so they don't burn on the grill. In a large bowl mix the brown sugar and juice of the lemon. Stir in cut pineapple and nectarines. Skewer alternating the fruit.
Heat the grill to medium. Using a paper towel or towel lightly grease the grill with oil. Place the the skewers on the grill with the fig's skin on the grill. Flip once and rotate the fig, so the skin side is always on the grill.
If you used pineapple, serve with pineapple top. A perfect holder for the leftover skewers.

Makes 10 kebabs.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Fish Kabobs

partysugar — Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:30:51 -0700

Grilled kabobs are ideal for a family of picky eaters. Arrange an assortment of ingredients and invite everyone to make a skewer to his or her liking. The vegetarian can avoid meat, and the mushroom-hater will gladly load his skewer with onions and roasted red peppers. This recipe calls for a mild, firm fish, so choose your favorite, be it halibut, salmon, or swordfish. To look at this crowd-pleasing recipe, read more.

Fish Kabobs
From Better Homes and Gardens magazine

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh or frozen halibut, salmon, or swordfish steaks, cut 1 inch thick
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup olive oil
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
Several drops bottled hot pepper sauce
1 large cucumber or zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 3/4-inch slices
12 small to medium mushrooms
1/2 of a 12-ounce jar roasted red sweet peppers, drained and cut into 1-inch pieces
12 pimiento-stuffed green olives

Directions

Thaw fish, if frozen. Rinse fish and pat dry with paper towels. If necessary, remove and discard bones and skin.
Cut fish into 1-inch cubes. Place fish in self-sealing plastic bag set in a shallow dish.
For marinade, in small bowl combine lemon juice, oil, bay leaf, dill, black pepper, and hot pepper sauce. Pour over fish; seal bag. Turn bag to coat fish. Marinate at room temperature for 30 minutes, turning bag occasionally.
Drain fish, reserving marinade. On six long metal skewers, alternately thread fish, cucumber, mushrooms, red pepper, and olives. Brush with some of the marinade.
For a charcoal grill, grill kabobs on the greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 8 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork, turning and brushing with reserved marinade halfway through grilling time. For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place kabobs on greased grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.
Discard any remaining marinade and serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Nutrition Facts: Calories 230, Total Fat (g) 9, Saturated Fat (g) 1, Cholesterol (mg) 48, Sodium (mg) 241, Carbohydrate (g) 4, Fiber (g) 1, Protein (g) 33, Percent Daily Values are base on a 2,000 calorie diet

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Sunday BBQ: Pork and Apple Kebabs

YumSugar — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 06:00:20 -0700

This no-fuss meal is a simple marriage of sweet (fruit jam), savory (pork tenderloin), and tart (green apple) flavor profiles.

The crisp apple also provides a great contrast to the heartiness of the pork. As with last week's Sunday BBQ dinner, any extra barbecue glaze makes a great dressing for grilled vegetables on the side.

To get grilling, read more.

Barbecued Pork and Apple Kebabs
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1/2 cup apricot jam
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for grill
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds (about 1 1/2 inches each) pork tenderloin, halved lengthwise and cut into 16 cubes
1 medium red onion, cut into 8 wedges
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 8 wedges

Directions

Heat grill to medium-high.
In a large bowl, combine jam, vinegar, tomato paste, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Assemble 4 long skewers, alternating 4 pork cubes with 2 onion wedges and 2 apple wedges on each, beginning with pork and ending with apple. Roll skewers in remaining tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper.
Lightly oil grates. Place skewers on grill; cover grill, and cook, turning occasionally, until grill marks are visible, 6 to 8 minutes.
Open grill; baste skewers with some sauce, and cook, turning skewers and basting occasionally with more sauce, until pork is no longer pink in the center and is nicely glazed, 4 to 8 minutes more.

Makes 4 skewers.

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Seven Foods That'll Stick Around

YumSugar — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 03:00:45 -0700

"Why is it that food always tastes better when it's on a stick?" DearSugar mused the other day. I must say I concur. There's a playful element to eating kebabs; they're interactive and low-maintenance at the same time. Or maybe it always tastes better because I associate food on a stick with socializing over passed hors d'oeuvres. Regardless of what the reason is, I thought I'd share seven skewer combos that'll stick with you.

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