102. KEBABS OF THE
WORLD UNITE
Meat on a stick represented the first technological leap forward in the evolution of barbecue. The popularity of kebabs and sates around the world attests to the universal appeal of skewered foods. So why do so many kebabs come on bamboo skewers with burnt ends or on metal skewers with raw onions, overcooked meat, and tomatoes that fall into the embers? If you’ve ever had trouble nailing the perfect shish kebab, or you want to expand your repertoire, this show is for you.
Meat on a stick represented the first technological leap forward in the evolution of barbecue. The popularity of kebabs and sates around the world attests to the universal appeal of skewered foods. So why do so many kebabs come on bamboo skewers with burnt ends or on metal skewers with raw onions, overcooked meat, and tomatoes that fall into the embers? If you’ve ever had trouble nailing the perfect shish kebab, or you want to expand your repertoire, this show is for you.
QUICK PERSIAN BEEF KEBABS
Source: The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen (Workman Publishing,
2008)
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4
Advance Preparation: 15 minutes for marinating the kebabs
1-1/2 pounds beef tenderloin, all fat and sinew trimmed off
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) to taste
For serving:
Anaheim peppers, on skewers
Plum tomatoes, on skewers
Onion, cut into wedges, then skewered
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, in one piece
Chopped parsley
Basil
Cut the tenderloin crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Place the slices flat on the cutting board and cut into 1-inch-wide strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Thread the beef onto the skewers and place them on a large nonreactive platter.
Puree the onion in a food processor. Strain the resulting puree over the kebabs, turning to coat all sides. Using a fork, beat the lime juice, oil, pepper, and salt in a small bowl, then pour the mixture over the kebabs, again turning to coat on all sides. Marinate for 15 minutes.
Skewer peppers, tomatoes, and wedged onion.
Meanwhile, preheat the grill to high.
When ready to cook, oil the grill grate. Drain the beef kebabs, arrange on the hot grate, and grill until cooked to taste, 1 to 2 minutes per side (4 to 8 minutes in all; Iranians like their beef on the medium side of medium-rare). Grill the skewered vegetables until tender (they will take about the same amount of time as the beef kebabs). Transfer the kebabs to a platter. With the butter on the end of a fork for easy handling, rub it over each kebab. Serve immediately.
SWORDFISH SOUVLAKI
Source: The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen (Workman Publishing,
2008)
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4
Advance Preparation: 30 minutes for marinating the fish
For the fish and the marinade:
1-1/2 pounds swordfish steaks (or tuna), about 1-1/2 inches thick
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the kebabs:
24 bay leaves
1 medium onion, quartered
Lemon wedges, for serving
You’ll also need:
2-pronged skewers (or use 2 skewers for each kebab)
Trim the skin, if any off the fish steaks. Rinse the fish under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes and set aside while you prepare the marinade.
Combine the oil, lemon juice, wine, garlic, oregano, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper in a large nonreactive bowl and whisk until blended and the salt is dissolved. Taste for seasoning, adding salt as necessary; the mixture should be highly seasoned. Add the fish and turn to coat. Let marinate, at room temperature, for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Soak the bay leaves in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes.
Preheat the grill to high.
When ready to cook, break the onion quarters into individual layers. Drain the bay leaves. Remove the fish cubes from the bowl, reserving whatever marinade is left, and thread onto the skewers, placing a piece of onion and a bay leaf between each and dividing evenly. Oil the grill grate, then arrange the kebabs on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs until the fish cubes are nicely browned on the outside and opaque in the center, 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all). As the kebabs cook, baste with any remaining marinade, but not during the last 2 minutes.
Transfer the kebabs to serving plates or a platter and serve immediately, accompanied by lemon wedges.
THAI CHICKEN SATES SERVED IN LETTUCE LEAVES
Source: The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen (Workman Publishing,
2008)
Method: Direct grilling
Makes 16 sates; serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as an entrée
Advance Preparation: 20 minutes to 2 hours for marinating the chicken
For the chicken and marinade:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons honey or sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
For serving:
Thai Peanut Sauce (recipe below)
1 head Boston lettuce, separated into leaves, rinsed, trimmed
Diced cucumber
Rinse the chicken breasts under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Cut the breasts lengthwise (with the grain) into 16 strips, each 4 inches long, 1/2 inch wide, and 1/4 inch thick. Set aside while you prepare the marinade.
Combine the coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, honey, garlic, and turmeric in a medium-size nonreactive bowl and whisk to blend. Add the chicken to the marinade and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover and let marinate, in the refrigerator, 20 minutes to 2 hours (the longer the better).
Preheat the grill to high.
Weave the chicken strips lengthwise onto the skewers. When ready to cook, oil the grill grate. Arrange the sates on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs, until lightly browned and cooked through, 1 to 3 minutes per side (2 to 6 minutes in all).
Transfer the sates to serving plates and serve, accompanied by tiny bowls of the peanut sauce. To eat, place a sate on a lettuce leaf and top the chicken with a spoonful of the sauce and top with some cucumber, if desired; wrap the lettuce around the sate and pull out the skewer.
Thai Peanut Sauce
Makes about 1 cup
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 to 2 Thai, serrano, or jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced (for a spicier
sauce, leave the seeds in)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 scallions, both white and green parts, trimmed and minced
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1/3 cup coconut milk, plus more if needed to thin the sauce
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce or soy sauce, or more to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or more to taste
2 teaspoons sugar, or more to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Combine the ginger, chile, garlic, scallions, peanut butter, 1/3 cup coconut milk, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 teaspoons sugar, and the cilantro (if using) in a small, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring well to mix, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until richly flavored, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick, but pourable; thin with coconut milk, if needed.
Remove from the heat and taste for seasoning, adding fish sauce, lime juice, or sugar as necessary; the sauce should be highly seasoned. Serve warm or at room temperature. The sauce will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
MIXED FRUIT AND POUND CAKE KEBABS
WITH HONEY-RUM GLAZE
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4
For the glaze:
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup rum
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the fruit:
2 South African baby pineapples (optional; see Note)
2 large ripe freestone peaches, nectarines, or pears
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 plums
1 large banana
4 1-inch slices of pound cake, cut into 1-inch cubes (preferably Sara Lee; homemade is too crumbly)
1/4 cup melted butter
For serving:
Vanilla ice cream (optional)
Sprigs of fresh mint
You’ll also need:
4 long cinnamon sticks (12 to 15 inches each)
Metal skewer
Make the glaze. In a small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the cream, honey, rum, and cinnamon. Gradually bring to a boil over high heat, then let boil until the glaze is slightly reduced and just beginning to become syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Prepare the fruit. Cut the pineapples into chunks. (There is no need to peel them if you are using South African baby pineapples as the skin is edible.) each peach in half along the crease. Twist the peach halves in opposite directions to separate them. Remove and discard the pits. Cut each peach into quarters, and transfer to a bowl; gently toss with lemon juice. Pit each plum and cut into quarters. Peel the banana and cut into 1-inch pieces.
To assemble the kebabs, skewer the pineapple, peaches, plums, bananas, and pound cake chunks on cinnamon sticks, dividing the fruit and pound cake evenly between each. Make starter holes in the fruit, if necessary, with a metal skewer, starting from the pit side and handling the fruit as gently as possible. With a pastry brush, lightly brush the melted butter on all sides of the kebabs
Preheat the grill to high.
Grill the fruit kebabs until the pound cake is lightly toasted and the fruit is sizzling (2 to 4 minutes per side). As the kebabs grill, baste them lightly with some of the remaining Honey-Rum Glaze.
To serve, place the kebabs on plates or a platter. Drizzle with warm Honey-Rum Glaze, and accompany with bowls of vanilla ice cream garnished with fresh mint sprigs (optional).
Note: South African baby pineapples are available at some larger grocery stores or from www.melissas.com.
Source: The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen (Workman Publishing,
2008)
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4
Advance Preparation: 15 minutes for marinating the kebabs
1-1/2 pounds beef tenderloin, all fat and sinew trimmed off
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) to taste
For serving:
Anaheim peppers, on skewers
Plum tomatoes, on skewers
Onion, cut into wedges, then skewered
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, in one piece
Chopped parsley
Basil
Cut the tenderloin crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Place the slices flat on the cutting board and cut into 1-inch-wide strips. Cut each strip crosswise into 1/2-inch thick pieces. Thread the beef onto the skewers and place them on a large nonreactive platter.
Puree the onion in a food processor. Strain the resulting puree over the kebabs, turning to coat all sides. Using a fork, beat the lime juice, oil, pepper, and salt in a small bowl, then pour the mixture over the kebabs, again turning to coat on all sides. Marinate for 15 minutes.
Skewer peppers, tomatoes, and wedged onion.
Meanwhile, preheat the grill to high.
When ready to cook, oil the grill grate. Drain the beef kebabs, arrange on the hot grate, and grill until cooked to taste, 1 to 2 minutes per side (4 to 8 minutes in all; Iranians like their beef on the medium side of medium-rare). Grill the skewered vegetables until tender (they will take about the same amount of time as the beef kebabs). Transfer the kebabs to a platter. With the butter on the end of a fork for easy handling, rub it over each kebab. Serve immediately.
SWORDFISH SOUVLAKI
Source: The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen (Workman Publishing,
2008)
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4
Advance Preparation: 30 minutes for marinating the fish
For the fish and the marinade:
1-1/2 pounds swordfish steaks (or tuna), about 1-1/2 inches thick
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea), or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For the kebabs:
24 bay leaves
1 medium onion, quartered
Lemon wedges, for serving
You’ll also need:
2-pronged skewers (or use 2 skewers for each kebab)
Trim the skin, if any off the fish steaks. Rinse the fish under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes and set aside while you prepare the marinade.
Combine the oil, lemon juice, wine, garlic, oregano, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper in a large nonreactive bowl and whisk until blended and the salt is dissolved. Taste for seasoning, adding salt as necessary; the mixture should be highly seasoned. Add the fish and turn to coat. Let marinate, at room temperature, for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Soak the bay leaves in a bowl of cold water for 20 minutes.
Preheat the grill to high.
When ready to cook, break the onion quarters into individual layers. Drain the bay leaves. Remove the fish cubes from the bowl, reserving whatever marinade is left, and thread onto the skewers, placing a piece of onion and a bay leaf between each and dividing evenly. Oil the grill grate, then arrange the kebabs on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs until the fish cubes are nicely browned on the outside and opaque in the center, 2 to 3 minutes per side (8 to 12 minutes in all). As the kebabs cook, baste with any remaining marinade, but not during the last 2 minutes.
Transfer the kebabs to serving plates or a platter and serve immediately, accompanied by lemon wedges.
THAI CHICKEN SATES SERVED IN LETTUCE LEAVES
Source: The Barbecue Bible by Steven Raichlen (Workman Publishing,
2008)
Method: Direct grilling
Makes 16 sates; serves 4 as an appetizer, 2 as an entrée
Advance Preparation: 20 minutes to 2 hours for marinating the chicken
For the chicken and marinade:
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons honey or sugar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
For serving:
Thai Peanut Sauce (recipe below)
1 head Boston lettuce, separated into leaves, rinsed, trimmed
Diced cucumber
Rinse the chicken breasts under cold running water, then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Cut the breasts lengthwise (with the grain) into 16 strips, each 4 inches long, 1/2 inch wide, and 1/4 inch thick. Set aside while you prepare the marinade.
Combine the coconut milk, fish sauce, lime juice, honey, garlic, and turmeric in a medium-size nonreactive bowl and whisk to blend. Add the chicken to the marinade and toss thoroughly to coat. Cover and let marinate, in the refrigerator, 20 minutes to 2 hours (the longer the better).
Preheat the grill to high.
Weave the chicken strips lengthwise onto the skewers. When ready to cook, oil the grill grate. Arrange the sates on the hot grate and grill, turning with tongs, until lightly browned and cooked through, 1 to 3 minutes per side (2 to 6 minutes in all).
Transfer the sates to serving plates and serve, accompanied by tiny bowls of the peanut sauce. To eat, place a sate on a lettuce leaf and top the chicken with a spoonful of the sauce and top with some cucumber, if desired; wrap the lettuce around the sate and pull out the skewer.
Thai Peanut Sauce
Makes about 1 cup
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 to 2 Thai, serrano, or jalapeno chiles, seeded and minced (for a spicier
sauce, leave the seeds in)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 scallions, both white and green parts, trimmed and minced
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1/3 cup coconut milk, plus more if needed to thin the sauce
2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce or soy sauce, or more to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, or more to taste
2 teaspoons sugar, or more to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Combine the ginger, chile, garlic, scallions, peanut butter, 1/3 cup coconut milk, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 2 teaspoons sugar, and the cilantro (if using) in a small, heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring well to mix, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until richly flavored, about 10 minutes. The sauce should be thick, but pourable; thin with coconut milk, if needed.
Remove from the heat and taste for seasoning, adding fish sauce, lime juice, or sugar as necessary; the sauce should be highly seasoned. Serve warm or at room temperature. The sauce will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
MIXED FRUIT AND POUND CAKE KEBABS
WITH HONEY-RUM GLAZE
Method: Direct grilling
Serves: 4
For the glaze:
1/4 cup butter (1/2 stick)
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup rum
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the fruit:
2 South African baby pineapples (optional; see Note)
2 large ripe freestone peaches, nectarines, or pears
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 plums
1 large banana
4 1-inch slices of pound cake, cut into 1-inch cubes (preferably Sara Lee; homemade is too crumbly)
1/4 cup melted butter
For serving:
Vanilla ice cream (optional)
Sprigs of fresh mint
You’ll also need:
4 long cinnamon sticks (12 to 15 inches each)
Metal skewer
Make the glaze. In a small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the cream, honey, rum, and cinnamon. Gradually bring to a boil over high heat, then let boil until the glaze is slightly reduced and just beginning to become syrupy, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Prepare the fruit. Cut the pineapples into chunks. (There is no need to peel them if you are using South African baby pineapples as the skin is edible.) each peach in half along the crease. Twist the peach halves in opposite directions to separate them. Remove and discard the pits. Cut each peach into quarters, and transfer to a bowl; gently toss with lemon juice. Pit each plum and cut into quarters. Peel the banana and cut into 1-inch pieces.
To assemble the kebabs, skewer the pineapple, peaches, plums, bananas, and pound cake chunks on cinnamon sticks, dividing the fruit and pound cake evenly between each. Make starter holes in the fruit, if necessary, with a metal skewer, starting from the pit side and handling the fruit as gently as possible. With a pastry brush, lightly brush the melted butter on all sides of the kebabs
Preheat the grill to high.
Grill the fruit kebabs until the pound cake is lightly toasted and the fruit is sizzling (2 to 4 minutes per side). As the kebabs grill, baste them lightly with some of the remaining Honey-Rum Glaze.
To serve, place the kebabs on plates or a platter. Drizzle with warm Honey-Rum Glaze, and accompany with bowls of vanilla ice cream garnished with fresh mint sprigs (optional).
Note: South African baby pineapples are available at some larger grocery stores or from www.melissas.com.
