Marinades play big role in recipes
By SHARON THOMPSON
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Meat on a stick is the world’s oldest form of barbecue. Almost every culture has its own version: Japanese yakitori, French brochettes, Asian satay, Peruvian anticuchos, Spanish pinchos morunos, Armenian shashlik and Turkish shish kebabs.
The origin of skewer roasting is usually tied to the Turkish history of nomadic and semi-nomadic life, when cooking over open-field fires or in open-pit ovens was common, according to “A Mediterranean Feast” by Clifford A. Wright. But “given the obvious simplicity of spit-roasting meat over a fire, I suspect its genesis is earlier,” Wright wrote.
Skewered meals can be as simple as chunks of meat on a bamboo stick or as elaborate as colorful brochettes served at fancy restaurants. Gourmet kitchen stores stock whimsical skewers, although Marsha Norris, sales manager at Williams-Sonoma, said she recommends the inexpensive wooden sticks.
“Vegetables or meat tend to stick to the wooden ones a little bit better,” she said.
Wooden skewers should be soaked 20 to 30 minutes, which delays the burning of the bamboo.
So what makes the perfect shish kebab? First, there’s the meat. Lamb is traditional in Central Asia and the Middle and Near East. (Beef is also used in Iran and the Republic of Georgia.) A marinade of some sort is essential – first to flavor the meat, then to keep it moist during grilling. Slices of onion or peppers placed between the cubes of meat add flavor and color. A brisk fire is needed to sear the meat quickly, while a generous basting with olive oil or saffron-flavored butter keeps the kebab from drying out, according to Steven Raichlen, author of “Barbecue Bible” and “BBQ USA.”
Mike Critchfield, an owner of Critchfield Meats in Lexington, Ky., said the best pieces of beef for skewering are “tenderloin tips, which is filet mignon as it falls off when I cut the meat.
“A lot of people try to mix chicken and beef,” he said. “That’s not a good idea. It takes chicken longer to cook than beef,” he said.
Kebabs are a perfect choice for any cookout. You can use meats, seafood, vegetables and fruits to suit everyone’s tastes. They can be made in advance so the host or hostess also can enjoy the party.
BUILD-YOUR-OWN
SHISH KEBABS
DIJON-ROSEMARY STEAK
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, stemmed
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
Whisk together all the ingredients (except the steak) in a bowl. Toss the steak in the mixture until evenly coated. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours.
CITRUS-TARRAGON CHICKEN
1 orange, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
1 lemon, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
1 lime, zested, then juiced, remainder discarded
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup canola oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
Whisk together all the ingredients (except the chicken) in a bowl. Toss the chicken in the mixture until evenly coated. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours.
LEMON-GARLIC SHRIMP
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pound (16 to 20 count) shrimp, shelled and deveined
Whisk together all the ingredients (except the shrimp) in a bowl. Toss the shrimp in the mixture until evenly coated. Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours.
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Skewer savvy
Soak wooden skewers in water for 15 to 30 minutes so they won’t burn on the grill. Wooden skewers should be discarded after use.
Some cooks prefer flat, metal skewers so cubed food doesn’t spin while turning. If you grill often, consider investing in a set. They are good year after year, require no soaking and are easier to use than the wooden ones.
Shrimp, scallops and other wobbly bits benefit from the double-skewer technique: Thread the pieces on a skewer, then run another one through the pieces parallel to the first, about a half-inch away.
If you are having vegetarian guests, cook the meat and vegetables on separate skewers so they can pick up a stick of vegetables. If your guests will be assembling their own skewers, place meat and vegetables in separate bowls.
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