These recipes originally appeared in the July 2021 issue of HomeLife Magazine.
Skewer your favorite protein and veggies.
I’m going out on a limb and guessing you would prefer to avoid long hours in the kitchen this month. Oh sure, there will be the occasional rainy afternoon activity of baking cookies or early morning whipping up fresh scones after a day of blueberry picking. But those pursuits don’t seem as daunting as heating up the kitchen during blissful summer evenings when the distant echo of children’s laughter can be heard amid the swishing of a lawn sprinkler. Or when the heat of the day begins to lift, and the setting sun beckons evening walkers out for a stroll. Who wants to be stuck inside the kitchen missing those fleeting moments?
During July, I like to pull supper together in the morning, freeing early evenings to leisurely return from the pool or finish a gardening project. On such occasions, dinner feels more like assembling rather than cooking. The easiest way I’ve found to accomplish this exploit is through the kebab — a bite-sized piece of meat on a skewer that cooks quickly on a waiting grill. Bonus points if you can wrangle in a grill master, freeing you to forage a salad.
I was curious as to the origin of this unique approach to grilling, so I did a little digging and found that Turkish soldiers used their swords to grill small pieces of meat over an open fire, with shish referring to skewer and kebab meaning roasted meat. Today the shish kebab has expanded to most cultures who have discovered marinating not only tenderizes but helps reduce some of the gamy flavor of some meat and fish.
Fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme from
the garden intensify the flavor of the marinade, while vegetables such as squash and orange, red, and yellow peppers add beautiful color to the skewer. Coincidentally, these herbs and vegetables are some of the easiest to grow. They don’t require much space and flourish in well-drained pots on a deck
or balcony.
If you’d like to test your green thumb, begin with a few herbs, such as rosemary or thyme, or a zucchini plant placed in good soil with lots of sun. Plucking homegrown food from one’s own garden is one of this season’s simple pleasures. Try your hand at something new this summer and don’t forget to share your bounty in these delicious recipes.
Grilled Herb & Shrimp Kebabs ▶ Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 small onion (diced)
3 Tbsp. fresh parsley
3 Tbsp. fresh basil
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. olive oil
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2 lb. shrimp (peel and deveined, tails on)
Directions:
Combine garlic, onion, fresh herbs, mustard, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice to a gallon-sized storage bag. Thaw and rinse shrimp. Pat dry and add shrimp to the bag of herb mixture. Place in the refrigerator and marinate for at least an hour or overnight. Place six to eight shrimp on a skewer, discarding the marinade, and grill for two minutes per side.
“For savings at the store, test your green thumb by trying to grow some herbs, such as basil, rosemary, and thyme.” — Laura
Marinated Beef &
Garden Vegetable Kebabs ▶ Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1/2 c. grape seed oil
3/4 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 tsp. black pepper
2 lb. sirloin steak or filet (cut into 1-inch cubes)
1 green pepper (cut into large chunks)
1 red pepper (cut into large chunks)
1 yellow pepper (cut into large chunks)
1 zucchini squash (cut into thick rounds)
1 red onion (cut into large chunks)
Directions:
To make marinade, whisk the first eight ingredients together in a small bowl. Cut meat into 1-inch cubes and place in a plastic resealable bag. Pour marinade over the meat and seal. Refrigerate for eight hours or overnight. Pull the meat from the bag (reserving the marinade) and thread skewers with meat and vegetables. Preheat the grill to 350–400 degrees. Pour the reserved marinade into a pot and bring to a boil, then turn to simmer for 10 minutes. Grill skewers for desired cooked center, basting with marinade while grilling.
Honey Garlic & Herb Chicken Kebabs ▶ Makes 6 servings
Ingredients:
1/4 c. grape seed or olive oil
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/3 c. honey
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 c. parsley (chopped)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1-1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast (cut into even chunks)
1 orange pepper (cut into large chunks)
1 red pepper (cut into large chunks)
1 yellow pepper (cut into large chunks)
1 red onion (cut into large chunks)
Directions:
In a medium size bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Seed peppers and cut into bite-sized chunks, along with onion. Add marinade to a resealable bag, along with chicken and vegetables and refrigerate for two hours. Thread chicken and vegetables onto skewers alternating by color, then discard marinade. Preheat the grill to 350–400 degrees. Grill skewers for six to eight minutes per side, until chicken is cooked through to 165 degrees in the center and pink is gone, being careful not to overcook.
“All protein should be cut into same size pieces for even grilling.”
— Laura Laura Schupp is the author of Our Newlywed Kitchen: The Art of Cooking, Gathering & Creating Traditions. Learn more about Laura at OurNe
