kebabs satays skewers &amp

Cottage Life Grill Guide
Grilled beef with green onions and sesame
Chicken tikka masala
kebabs
satays &
skewers
Stick it on
the barbecue
By David Zimmer Recipes by Jane Rodmell Photography Edward Pond
June 2010
cottagelife.com 87
skewerskebabsSATAYkoftakebabsskewersSATA
M
Meat on a stick. Short of a lightningroasted antelope, what could make a
simpler meal for our paleolithic ancestors? Over the years, the stick may have
taken different forms—a branch, a spear,
a sword—but the basic concept remains:
Cut meat into small, quick-cooking
pieces, thread onto a skewer, and grill
over an open fire. No cookware required.
Add a marinade or a spice concoction
to those meat bits and you’ve just transformed a nomadic raiding party into
an alfresco dinner party. Very civilized.
If you could take a food snapshot of
the entire globe, more people in more
places would be eating meat on sticks
than any other grilled fare. There’s Turkish shish kebab and Middle Eastern
kofta, Russian shashlyk, Greek souvlaki,
and African suya. The Spanish have
pinchitos, and the French have their brochettes. In Southeast Asia, satay rules
the market stalls. And don’t forget Peruvian anticuchos and Japanese yakitori.
It’s sad, then, that with such a rich
culinary genealogy to work with, many
Canadian cooks reduce this pedigreed
dish into what I call The Dreaded Cottage
Kebab. You know the one: huge chunks
of sirloin, onion wedges, lobes of green
pepper, and cherry tomatoes, marinated
in red wine and soy sauce (or nothing
at all), and grilled with hateful indifference. The result? Dry, overdone meat
(burned on four sides, grey on the other
two), onion that is both raw and burned,
a carbonized pepper slice and, the pièce
de résistance, that withered tomato that
explodes in your mouth like a scalding
eyeball. It’s time to get back to basics.
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June 2010
Like Babel, with brochettes
Don’t get hung up on the bewildering
array of names for meat on a stick.
It’s a multinational food, with many
regional variations. For simplicity,
I have arbitrarily assigned them to
three groups:
1. Kebabs are meal-sized portions of
just about any kind of meat (and sometimes vegetables), generally cooked on
steel skewers.
2. Members of the satay family are
usually smaller, snack-sized portions of
bamboo-skewered meat, served with
a dipping sauce. There shall be no vegetables on a satay.
3. Ground meat kebabs are patties
(often lamb) squeezed around a flat metal
skewer and grilled, no veggies allowed.
They are known in many places as kofta,
though the spelling varies.
Portion control
Tradition may dictate that satays are
small and shashlyk and souvlaki are big,
but no one likes a dictator. And everyone
loves mini-food. So don’t be afraid to
shrink your favourite chicken brochette
or Peruvian beef-heart anticuchos into
fun, satay-sized snacks. They’re easier
for guests to enjoy at a dockside cocktail
party than saddles of lamb spitted on a
cavalry sabre.
In fact, bigger is not always better in
the sticks. Some restaurant kebabs are
like a series of small roasts impaled on
a crusader’s sword. This may be fun for
Country pork kebabs
indispensable
skewers
& sticks
a theatrical night out; less so for a casual
cottage get-together, where not everyone can handle a two-pound portion. It’s
also one of The Dreaded Cottage Kebab’s
downfalls: It’s just too big.
At the small end of the scale, appetizers should be one- or two-bite affairs that
allow you to munch and mingle gracefully. About 2 oz (60 g) of meat per ministick is just right. As for meat mains,
4–6 oz (125–180 g) per person is a reasonable serving. Sure, some people can eat
8 oz (250 g) or more, but many others
prefer less. So why not aim for 5-oz
(150 g) main-course portions? The supermodels get one stick apiece, the sumo
wrestlers two or three. Portion control,
however, requires diligence: Because
it’s easier to cut meat into fewer, larger
pieces and jam more of them onto fewer
sticks, we often create jumbo kebabs
out of sheer laziness.
Stick with these cuts
food styling: ruth gangbar. Prop styling: catherine doherty
Grilled scallops with pancetta and sage
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June 2010
Though you can skewer just about any
meat, poultry, or seafood—including
Indonesian variants built on immature
chicken egg, goat testicle, or snake meat
—some cuts taste better, cook better,
or are easier to find than others.
Because kebab grilling is a dry, hightemperature process, really lean cuts
of meat can suffer during cooking.
The best remedy is to choose cuts with
a bit of fat and to avoid trimming it all
off. You can also alternate leaner and
fattier morsels on the stick. With cuts
such as lamb sirloin or beef sirloin (lean
meat with a fat cap), separate the meat
and fat, but intersperse a few wafers
of fat between the lean when you build
your skewers. Another tasty trick, especially with very lean meat—such as
tenderloin, lean loin cuts, chicken breast,
and fish—is to add flavourful fat with
small pieces of bacon, pancetta, or partly
cooked sausage. If adding fat to lean
cuts is out of the question, then grill carefully, using high heat to quickly sear
a nice brown crust without overcooking
and drying the insides.
Beef
Top sirloin has great flavour but often
has little intramuscular fat, so it dries
out easily. Try adding bits of fat between
the cubes of meat and don’t overcook.
Tenderloin and tenderloin tips stay
tender (go figure) even if accidentally
overcooked a little.
Striploin and rib-eye have good
marbling, which keeps them tender, juicy,
and steak-like—if grilled with care.
Pork
Tenderloin is lean, tender, and relatively inexpensive, perfect for quickly
grilled sticks.
shoulder and blade cuts have rich
flavour and more fat, and can handle
bold marinades and long grilling.
Boneless loin chops are convenient
for cubes or strips. Chops from the butt
end have more “dark meat,” which
generally has more intramuscular fat.
Lamb
shoulder cuts have more fat and flavour than other parts and are a traditional
kebab choice. They can handle strongly
spiced marinades and stay moist.
boneless lamb sirloins are flavourful
and convenient; leave some fat cap
intact and don’t overcook.
leg of lamb in cubes makes a great
kebab, but most butchers only sell this
piece whole. Look for smaller leg cuts or
buy a whole leg, steal some for kebabs,
and freeze the rest.
Chicken
While it is the usual choice, breast meat
is relatively inert—flavourwise—and
easily withers and dries on the grill. Dark
meat has far more taste and stays moist.
Fish and seafood
If you can spear it with a stick and make
it stay, you can grill it. Firm-fleshed saltwater fish such as salmon and tuna work
best. Shrimp (shell on) and scallops are
old standbys, but feel free to harpoon a
rock lobster or thread on some squid. ››
z Steel skewers
come in many
shapes and sizes,
from the standard
8"–10" loop-top
version you probably have in your
kitchen drawer, to
ones with wide, flat
blades for groundmeat kebabs, to
long professional
food swords with
wooden handles.
z Metal skewers get
very hot, so they’re
not a perfect choice
for cocktail party
hand-food unless
you’re partial to
screaming guests.
z The wider a skewer’s blade, the less
likely food will spin.
Double-shafted
wire skewers solve
this problem too,
as do two skewers
in each kebab.
z Bamboo skewers
are perfect for
appetizers: They
come in a variety of
lengths (and can
be snipped to size)
and are cheap, but
they can char if you
don’t soak them.
z In a pinch, wire
coat hangers, cut
into lengths, can
be used as skewers.
Just heat them
on the grill first to
get rid of any dandruff or dry-cleaning
fluid. Some other
improvisations,
such as plastic knitting needles, dock
spikes, or pencil
crayons are not
good choices.—D.Z.
June 2010
as the
bamboo
burns
Being wood (grass,
actually), bamboo
skewers catch fire
with regularity,
so always immerse
them in water for
at least 20 minutes
before spearing
your meat. To
avoid having the
exposed end burst
into flames, simply
create a heat
shield: Fold a long
sheet of aluminum
foil until it’s just
a bit wider than
the bare section of
the sticks, then
place it on the grill,
scrunching the
ends into the grate
so your foil strip
doesn’t waft away
on the rising hot
air. Position the
meaty part of each
stick over the grate
and the handle
end over the heat
shield, which also
protects your
knuckles when you
turn the skewers.
—D.Z.
cottagelife.com 91
rules of
engorgement
Getting food from
stick to mouth can
be messy, embarrassing and, if you
lack fine motor
skills, dangerous.
So is there an
etiquette of kebab
consumption?
The cottage atmosphere is casual—
you’re wearing
a bathing suit to
dinner and you reek
of bug spray—but
the rule is: No fingers. “Items must
be taken off with
a piece of flatware,”
says Nik Manojlovich, a Bancroftarea cottager and
host and co-creator
of Savoir Faire,
HGTV’s show on
entertaining. “I’m
sorry. Even at the
cottage, you gotta
do it properly.”
Ground meats
It may seem efficient to shove
everything off the
skewer and onto
your plate with one
big push, but that’s
a mistake: Food
will probably scatter
across the table.
(Smooth.) Instead,
hold one end of the
skewer in your fingertips and point
the other down on
your plate. Remove
one morsel at a
time, slowly, until
your stick is empty.
Then chow down.
Manojlovich says
it’s also fine to eat
party-sized bites
right off the skewer,
corn-on-the-cob
style, holding your
free hand underneath “in case you
lose the back half of
the bite.” Or, grab
one piece of meat in
your teeth and slide
it elegantly off the
skewer. Just do this
slowly, and don’t
point the sharp end
towards your face.
Or other diners.
—Jackie Davis
Grill guide recipes
begin on page 94 ››
lamb, beef, veal, pork Most traditional
koftas are made with ground lamb, but
ground beef, ground veal, and ground
pork are all viable options.
mix and match Ground meat combos—
such as a mix of beef, veal, and pork—
are tastier than the sum of their parts.
chicken or turkey are good options,
but with almost zero fat, they can stick
and fall apart. A very hot, well-oiled cooking surface is one way to avoid meat-togrill fusion. Touchless grilling is another.
Touchless grilling and other secrets
Most meat tastes better with some sear,
a bit of meat-on-metal contact to bring
out that ineffable char-grilled flavour,
but some chicken and fish skewers and
most koftas are too delicate for direct
contact. If they stick on the grill, even a
little, they’ll stay there when you try to
pull them free. This calls for “touchless”
grilling, with the sticks elevated above
the grate but still right in the superheated centre of things.
Some metal skewers come with a
touchless rack, where the skewers sit
in slots, raised over the grill. Otherwise,
kebab elevators are easy to improvise
with a few bricks, some metal pipe, or
thick logs of scrunched foil. Make sure
your elevator is the right height: It
should suspend the meat just above the
grate, where the skewers can cook to
perfection without going to pieces.
Kebabs and satays are easily dried
out because they have a small mass
and lots of surface area. That quickcooking, skinny profile needs to be
seared on all sides without overcooking.
A few tips:
z One hedge against dehydration is
a grill that’s good and hot, which means
medium-high or high. Hold your hand
about 6" (15 cm) above the cooking
surface: When you can keep it there
for no longer than 4–5 seconds, you’ve
got some hot.
z Fight the urge to rotate repeatedly.
Give one side time to brown, then turn.
This will help lock in juices and get
those time-sensitive sticks off the grill
before they’re overcooked.
z Dainty skewers, like Italian spiedini, with their wee morsels of meat,
should be packed tightly to reduce drying. Store-bought versions often come
this way; if you make your own, tighten
up the bits.
z Big chunks of meat suffer when
they’re squashed together: The hidden
surfaces end up an unpleasant shade
of grey. Leave space so they can brown.
Nix the meat-veg mix
The vileness of The Dreaded Cottage
Kebab lies largely in its vegetables,
which are either undercooked, overcooked, or completely incinerated. Never
just right. That’s because vegetables
and meat cook at different rates. So do
different types and sizes of vegetables.
And that is why they should never be
combined on a skewer with meat. Period.
I know, many ancient kebab recipes
commingle meat and certain vegetables,
but these were written long ago by
starving shepherds and jellied-saladloving home economists. And those
recipes are wrong.
If you must have veggie skewers, why
not grill them separately? Better yet, why
not skip the skewers and just grill some
vegetables? It’s easier and your guests
won’t be left wondering why that potato
chunk is still raw while the asparagus
looks like a used fireplace match.
If you absolutely insist upon mixed
vegetable kebabs, choose plant life that
shares a similar density and that will,
maybe, cook at the same rate. And if
you must combine vegetables of widely
differing densities—say, button mushrooms and Brussels sprouts—try parboiling the heavier vegetable first. But don’t
even think about putting them on a
skewer with meat.
Lamb kofta with parsley and mint
SATAYkoftakebabsskewersSATAYkoftakebabs
Lamb kofta
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June 2010
Grill theseskewersSATA
Pork Satay
Four
reasons
Jane eats
in the
sticks
1. Snack-sized
skewers are an
easy way to satisfy
party people, and
are good value too,
since a little meat
goes a long way.
2. In larger portions,
accompanied by
a tasty rice dish,
interesting breads,
or a selection of salads, skewers make
a delicious meal.
3. Grilling meat on
sticks is convenient,
since much preparation can be done
ahead. You can cube
and marinate the
meat, and stack
skewers up to a day
ahead. (Bamboo
skewers, however,
dry out if assembled
too far ahead, and
pre-made fish
or seafood skewers
don’t hold well.)
4. Skewered food
grills quickly. Have
the rest of the meal
ready before you
start, and designate
an assistant griller
to jump in if you
have to run into
the cottage to tend
another dish.
—Jane Rodmell
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June 2010
Combine morsels of pork with lemongrass, ginger, soy sauce, and spices for a
Balinese snack, traditionally grilled over
charcoal braziers. Sambal ulek is a fiery
red chile paste used in stir-fries, marinades, and sauces. It’s available in Asian
grocery stores, or substitute another
chile paste or a red Thai chile; reduce the
amount if you don’t like heat. The marinade is also delicious for chicken.
11/4 lbs pork tenderloin, loin, or shoulder
(625 g)
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger (10 ml)
1 stalk lemongrass, finely chopped (see
Tips, below)
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt (2 ml)
1 tbsp brown sugar (15 ml)
1 tbsp soy sauce (15 ml)
Juice of 1 lime
1-2 tsp sambal ulek or chopped red chile
(5-10 ml)
2 tbsp vegetable oil (30 ml)
2 limes, cut in wedges
1. Cut pork into about 1" (2.5 cm) cubes
and place in a heavy-duty plastic bag or
shallow ceramic dish.
2. In a blender or food processor, purée
shallot, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, salt,
and sugar with soy sauce, lime juice,
sambal ulek, and oil (see Tips, below).
Pour over pork and refrigerate for several
hours, or as long as a day.
3. Remove pork from marinade, pat dry
with paper towel, and thread onto skewers: 2 cubes per skewer for a snack; 5 or
6 for a main dish. Reserve marinade.
4. In a small saucepan, bring marinade
to a boil for a few minutes. Allow to cool.
5. When ready to cook, oil grill and preheat to high. Arrange skewers on hot grill.
Turn skewers with tongs a few times,
brushing meat with reserved marinade,
until meat is cooked through and nicely
browned on all sides, about 8 minutes
total. Enjoy hot with lime wedges and
a dipping sauce of soy sauce, brown
sugar, and a little lime juice. serves 4 as
a main dish, 6 as appetizers.
Tips To prepare lemongrass, discard the
dry outer leaves and trim off the tough
root end. Soften the white part of the stalk
by pounding with the blunt edge of a
chef’s knife, then finely chop the softened
stalk. The green part can be steeped in
stocks and soups; lemongrass, chopped
or whole, also freezes well. If you don’t
have lemongrass, use extra lemon or
lime, and include some grated zest.
z Instead of a blender or food processor,
you could use a mortar and pestle to
pulverize ingredients for a marinade.
Start by grinding any whole spices, then
mash in softer ingredients such as ginger or garlic to make a paste, and finally
incorporate the liquid ingredients.
Lamb Rosemary Spiedini
Spiedini are popular Italian skewers
served as appetizers and party food. The
flavourful herb marinade is also excellent on chicken, pork, or vegetables.
11/2 lbs lamb sirloin or leg (750 g)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (60 ml)
Juice of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped rosemary (30 ml)
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper (2 ml)
1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt (1 ml)
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes (optional) (2 ml)
1. Cut lamb into small cubes, about 3/4" (2 cm), and place in a heavy-duty
plastic bag or shallow ceramic dish.
Combine remaining ingredients and
pour over lamb. Refrigerate between
6 and 48 hours.
2. Remove lamb from marinade, pat dry
with paper towel, and thread 2 or 3
cubes on each skewer. Reserve marinade.
3. When ready to cook, set up barbecue
for touchless grilling (see p. 92) and
preheat to high. Arrange skewers over
direct heat. Turn with tongs a few times
and brush once or twice with reserved
marinade. Cook until meat is nicely
browned on all sides, 5–6 minutes total.
Season with salt and pepper, and enjoy
with fresh crusty bread. makes snacks
for 6–8. ››
TAYkoftakebabsskewers
vegetable
skewer
secrets
z How to Prepare
Cut large vegetables into similarsized pieces: onions
into quarters or
eighths, keeping
the root end intact;
other vegetables
into slices or cubes.
Separate portobello
mushroom stems
from their caps.
Firm vegetables
(such as tiny new
potatoes, butternut
squash, pumpkin,
turnips, Brussels
sprouts, and whole
shallots) should
be parboiled until
almost tender.
Peppers are best
roasted whole
on their own, then
skinned, seeded,
and sliced—add
roasted pepper
slices to kebabs
for colour.
z How to Thread
One type of vegetable per stick makes
grilling easier.
If you combine,
choose ones that
cook for similar
times (see “How to
Cook,” below).
Skinny vegetables
cut in short pieces,
such as beans or
96 cottagelife.com
asparagus, should
be skewered crosswise; round slices
and portobello caps
should be spiked
lollipop-style. If the
veggies seem likely
to spin, use two
skewers.
z How to Dress
Brush with olive
oil (flavoured with
herbs and garlic,
if you like) and
sprinkle with salt.
Before serving, you
can garnish with
chopped fresh
herbs and a dash of
balsamic vinegar.
z How to Cook
Grill over direct,
high heat, turning
frequently. Vegetables need 5–12
minutes on the grill.
Parboiled vegetables need the least
time (shallots
and squash, about
5 minutes; others
5–10); green onions,
asparagus, green
beans, and cherry
tomatoes are almost
as fast (6–8 minutes). Mushrooms,
eggplant, short
lengths of corn on
the cob, and onion
wedges take as long
as 12 minutes.—J.R.
June 2010
Variation
Lamb and Merguez Sausage Kebabs
Spicy merguez lamb sausages, a North
African specialty, are available at larger
supermarkets. Cut lamb into 1" (2.5 cm)
cubes and marinate as above. Place 3
merguez sausages in a skillet with 1/2 cup
(125 ml) water. Cover and simmer for
5 minutes. Cut sausages into bite-sized
lengths and alternate with the marinated lamb cubes on skewers. Cook as
above, increasing grilling time to about
8 minutes.
Country Pork Kebabs
You will need to make many of these,
because they’re a sure hit. Pair with
summer favourites such as grilled corn,
red and yellow peppers, grilled summer
squash, and a rice-and-bean pilaf. Don’t
forget to put some extra Beer Barbecue
Sauce (recipe follows) on the table too.
11/4 lbs pork tenderloin, loin, or shoulder
(625 g)
4 green onions, trimmed and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp paprika (5 ml)
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh thyme (15 ml)
(or 1 tsp/5 ml dried thyme)
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt (2 ml)
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper (2 ml)
1 tbsp soy sauce (15 ml)
2 tbsp vegetable oil (30 ml)
1/4 cup Beer Barbecue Sauce (60 ml)
(recipe follows, or use your favourite
barbecue sauce)
1. Cut pork into about 1" (2.5 cm) cubes.
Place in a heavy-duty plastic bag or
shallow ceramic dish.
2. In a blender or food processor, purée
onions, garlic, paprika, thyme, salt,
pepper, soy sauce, and oil. Pour marinade
over pork and refrigerate for several
hours or as long as a day.
3. Remove pork from marinade, pat dry
with paper towel, and thread onto 8"
(20 cm) skewers: 2 cubes on each skewer
for a snack, 5 or 6 for a main dish.
Reserve marinade.
4. In a small saucepan, bring marinade
to a boil for a few minutes. Allow to cool.
5. When ready to cook, oil grill and preheat to high. Arrange skewers on hot
grill. Turn skewers with tongs a few
times, brushing meat with reserved
marinade during the first 2–3 minutes
only, then begin to brush with Beer
Barbecue Sauce. Continue to turn until
meat is nicely browned on all sides
and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
serves 4 as a main dish, 6 as appetizers.
Beer Barbecue Sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil (15 ml)
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tsp chili powder (10 ml)
1 tsp ground cumin (5 ml)
1/2 cup beer (125 ml)
11/2 cups ketchup (375 ml)
1/2 cup molasses (125 ml)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard (15 ml)
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (5 ml)
1/4 cup cider vinegar (60 ml)
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. In a medium saucepan, heat oil over
medium heat. Add onion and cook until
soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and
spices and stir for a minute.
2. Whisk in the rest of the ingredients
and 1/4 cup (60 ml) water. Bring to a
simmer and cook, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until sauce is reduced
slightly, 15–20 minutes. Store in a covered container in the fridge. The sauce
keeps well, but its flavour is best if used
within a month. makes 2 cups (500 ml).
Lamb Kofta with Parsley and Mint
Skewers of grilled ground meat are
enjoyed in the Middle East, North Africa,
and across Europe. At the cottage, koftas
make an easy alternative to burgers, one
I like to serve in warm pitas with tarator
sauce (tahini, lemon juice, and garlic) and
a fresh salad of diced red onions, tomatoes, and cucumbers.
Form the meat around metal skewers
with narrow, flat blades, which are available in many cookware or barbecueequipment stores. Don’t use extra-lean
meat here; tender and flavourful koftas
babsskewersSATAYkoft
marinade
mastery
For more consistent
flavouring and
easier refrigeration,
marinate cubed
meat in a heavyduty plastic bag
before spearing.
Leftover marinade
that has been in
contact with raw
meat (particularly
poultry) must be
brought up to a rolling boil for a few
minutes before it
can be used as
a sauce or glaze.
Wet meat does
not sear and cooks
slowly. Always pat
down your kebabs
with a paper towel
to remove excess
marinade before
letting your sticks
hit the grill.—D.Z.
need some fat. It’s also important to get
right in there with your hands and work
the meat, almost like kneading bread;
it’s not a burger, which should be handled as little as possible. Since the mixture tends to stick, try using the touchless grill method (see p. 92), or be sure
to clean and oil the grate really well.
Lamb Kofta with Coriander
Replace parsley, mint, cinnamon, and
cumin with 1/2 cup (125 ml) chopped
fresh coriander, 1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped
fresh dill, 1/2 tsp (2 ml) cayenne pepper,
and 1/4 cup (60 ml) toasted pine nuts.
11/2 lbs ground lamb or a mixture of
ground lamb and ground beef (750 g)
1 medium onion, finely grated
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf
parsley (125 ml)
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint (60 ml)
1 tbsp grated lemon zest (15 ml)
2 tbsp lemon juice (30 ml)
11/2 tsp ground cinnamon (7 ml)
11/2 tsp ground cumin (7 ml)
1 tsp kosher or sea salt (5 ml)
1 tsp freshly ground pepper (5 ml)
Olive oil for basting
Using pancetta, the Italian version of
bacon, to baste lean scallops with a
drizzle of salty fat is an idea inspired by
barbecue expert Steven Raichlen. Try
this recipe with other firm-fleshed seafood such as tuna, swordfish, salmon,
shrimp, and squid. Keep the marinating
time short or the acid will start to cook
the fish. Large scallops work best, but
if yours are thicker than about 11/2" (4 cm),
cut them in half to make thinner discs.
You can use prosciutto or partially cooked
bacon in place of pancetta.
1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients
except oil. Use your hands to knead the
mixture until well combined. Cover bowl
with plastic wrap and refrigerate for
several hours for flavours to blend.
2. Divide meat mixture into 6 portions.
Moisten your hands with cold water and
form each portion around a metal, flatbladed skewer in a long sausage shape
about 11/2" (4 cm) in diameter. To help it
stick to the skewer, make indentations in
the meat at about 21/2" (6 cm) intervals.
3. When ready to cook, set up barbecue
for touchless grilling (see p. 92) and
preheat to medium-high. Brush koftas
lightly with oil and arrange over hot
grill. Turn skewers every few minutes,
occasionally brushing lightly with oil,
until koftas are evenly brown and
slightly crunchy on the outside, and just
until juices run clear, about 10–12 minutes. Season lightly to taste and enjoy
hot from the grill. serves 4-6.
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (45 ml)
2 tbsp lemon juice (30 ml)
1 tsp grated lemon zest (5 ml)
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper (2 ml)
11/2 lbs sea scallops, about 12 (750 g)
2 slices pancetta, about 1⁄8" (3 mm)
thick, cut in small strips
12 small sage leaves
Kosher or sea salt
Variations
Lamb Kofta with Oregano
Replace mint, cinnamon, and cumin
with 2 tbsp (30 ml) dried oregano or
rigani (Greek oregano) and 1 tsp (5 ml)
dried thyme.
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June 2010
Grilled Scallops with Pancetta
and Sage
1. In a bowl, combine oil, lemon juice,
lemon zest, and pepper. Add scallops and
toss to coat with marinade. Set aside
for 15–30 minutes.
2. Remove scallops and pat dry with
paper towel. Thread 2 or 3 scallops onto
each skewer (like a lollipop, so scallops’
flat sides are exposed to grill), following each scallop with a piece of pancetta
and a sage leaf. Reserve marinade.
3. In a small saucepan, bring marinade
to a boil for a few minutes. Allow to cool.
4. When ready to cook, oil grill and
preheat to medium-high. Arrange skewers on hot grill, lightly brushing with
marinade. Turn skewers with tongs
after about 2 minutes; continue grilling
until scallops are just firm to the touch,
about 2 minutes more. Season lightly
to taste and enjoy hot. serves 4. ››
stick it on the barbecue
{ Continued from page 98 }
Tip Scallops can stick, so be very sure
your grill grate is clean and well oiled.
You can also use the touchless grilling
method (see p. 92).
Chicken Tikka Masala
These succulent chicken bites are irresistible, especially served with Spicy
Tomato Cream Sauce over basmati rice.
While it almost certainly originates
in India (there’s some argument over
this), Chicken Tikka Masala has become
so popular in Britain, even with kids,
that in 2001, the UK foreign minister
at the time, Robin Cook, declared it
a national dish. Adjust the amount of
chile according to your taste for heat.
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11/2 lbs chicken (boneless, skinless
breasts or thighs) (750 g)
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt (2 ml)
2 tbsp lemon juice (30 ml)
1 cup plain 3.5% yogurt (250 ml)
1/2 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1 slice ginger root, 1/4" (6 mm), roughly
chopped
1/2-1 tsp chopped small green chile
(2-5 ml)
1 tbsp garam masala (15 ml)
2 tbsp vegetable oil (30 ml)
Spicy Tomato Cream Sauce (recipe
follows)
Lime wedges
1. Cut chicken into about 1" (2.5 cm)
cubes. You can also cut into strips, about
1/2" (1 cm) wide, and pound lightly to flatten. Place in a bowl and gently rub with
salt and lemon juice. Set aside.
2. Place yogurt in a fine sieve set over
a bowl and leave to drain for a few hours.
In a blender or food processor, purée
onion, garlic, ginger, chile, and garam
masala. Add thickened yogurt and blend
briefly to combine. Mix yogurt marinade
with chicken. Cover and refrigerate for
6–24 hours.
3. Remove chicken from marinade, pat
dry with paper towel, and thread onto
skewers: 2 cubes or 1 chicken strip on
each skewer for a snack, 5 or 6 cubes for
a main dish. Don’t bunch up chicken
strips on the skewer, accordion-style, as
they won’t cook evenly.
100 cottagelife.com
June 2010
4. When ready to cook, oil grill and preheat to medium-high. Brush skewers
lightly with oil and arrange on hot grill.
Touchless grilling (see p. 92) works
well too, since chicken can stick. Turn
skewers and baste with a little oil
a few times until nicely browned and
cooked through, about 6 minutes. Enjoy
hot. Leave unadorned as a snack; for
a main dish, serve over rice with Spicy
Tomato Cream Sauce and lime wedges.
serves 4-6 as a main dish; 8 as snacks.
Spicy Tomato Cream Sauce
For convenience, make the sauce up to
a day ahead and refrigerate, then reheat
at serving time.
1 tbsp unsalted butter (15 ml)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/2–1 jalapeno or 2 small green chiles,
seeded and chopped
2 tsp ground coriander (10 ml)
1 tsp ground cumin (5 ml)
1 tsp paprika (5 ml)
1 tsp garam masala (5 ml)
1 cup canned tomatoes, drained, seeded,
and chopped (250 ml)
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt (2 ml)
1 cup coconut milk or whipping cream
(250 ml)
1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander (60 ml)
1. In a small saucepan, melt butter over
medium heat. Add garlic, onions, and
chiles and cook until soft but not brown,
3–4 minutes. Add spices and stir over
the heat for a minute.
2. Add tomatoes and salt, lower heat,
and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in coconut milk and simmer
until sauce is smooth and thickened,
10–15 minutes. Stir in fresh coriander.
Taste and adjust seasoning. makes about
21/4 cups (560 ml).
Grilled Beef with Green Onions
and Sesame
Traditional Korean flavours of soy sauce,
garlic, and sesame complement beef,
especially when they form a pungent,
glistening glaze on each bite. Using marinade ingredients that keep well in the
cottage pantry, this recipe is good backup
for a company’s-coming emergency.
For a main dish, serve over rice noodles
or with a rice noodle salad. ››
stick it on the barbecue
{ Continued from page 100 }
11/2 lbs beef rib-eye, strip loin, or sirloin
(750 g)
1/4 cup brown sugar (60 ml)
1/2 cup soy sauce (125 ml)
1/4 cup mirin or dry sherry (60 ml)
2 tbsp sesame oil (30 ml)
2 tbsp rice vinegar (30 ml)
1 tbsp finely chopped garlic (15 ml)
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes (2 ml)
3 green onions
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds (60 ml)
Untitled-2 1
4/28/09
1. Trim beef, cut into about 1" (2.5 cm)
cubes, and place in a heavy-duty plastic
bag or shallow ceramic dish.
2. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar,
soy sauce, mirin or sherry, sesame
oil, rice vinegar, garlic, and hot pepper
flakes. Pour over beef. Refrigerate for
6–24 hours.
3. Trim green onions and cut into short
lengths, about 11/2" (4 cm), using the
white part and just a small amount
of green. Reserve some of the green as
a garnish for cooked skewers.
4. Remove beef from marinade, pat dry
with paper towel, and thread onto skew12:09:45ers:
PM 2 cubes for a snack, 5 or 6 for a
main dish, slipping a green onion piece
after each cube. Reserve marinade.
5. When ready to cook, oil grill and preheat to high. In a small saucepan, bring
reserved marinade to a boil and simmer,
stirring occasionally, for 5–8 minutes,
until reduced by about half. Set aside.
Arrange skewers on hot grill. Turn
skewers with tongs a few times until
meat is browned on all sides, about
6 minutes. Brush with reserved marinade and sprinkle with sesame seeds
and finely chopped green onion tops.
Enjoy hot from the grill. serves 4 as a
main dish, 6 for snacks.a
Jane Rodmell’s latest cookbook, All The Best
Recipes, featuring more than 300 recipes,
is available at cottagelife.com/store.
David Zimmer has seared thousands of
kebabs while catering in and around Huntsville, Ont. He’s a fan of pork souvlaki;
tofu kebabs, not so much.
Want more? You’ll find dozens of grilling
recipes at cottagelife.com/recipes
102 cottagelife.com
June 2010