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Showing posts with label Kabobs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kabobs. Show all posts

Thursday, July 5, 2012

Citrus Pork Kabobs

We are having so much fun creating new kabob recipes and this recipe was a complete and delicious success.  I've been trying to come up with a pork kabob recipe and decided to combine several recipe ideas into one.  When cooking pork you will want to make sure the pork is cooked thru, but try not to overcook the meat or it will be tough and chewy.  The pork can be juicy and still be cooked thru, just aim for an internal temp of about 145 degrees.  A handy meat thermometer makes this easy to check.

The combination of sweet, "citrusy-sour" and spicy flavors come together to create a really great tasting glaze on the pork.  The sweetness of the pineapple is followed by a zing of Serrano pepper and, when combined with a creamy coconut infused rice, all of those distinct flavors create an amazing meal.  If you have never tried to make your own kabobs, this is the recipe to try first!
  

Glaze
1/2 cup  Pineapple Preserves
1 Whole Serrano Pepper, finely minced (use a jalapeno if more intense heat is desired)
1 TB  Lime Juice

Marinade
1/2 cup  Orange Juice
1/2 cup  Lime Juice
2/3 cup  Olive Oil
3 cloves  Minced Garlic
2 tsp  Kosher Salt
1/2 tsp  Ground Black Pepper

Kabobs
1  Fresh Pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 3-inch chunks
1 large  Red Onion, cut into chunks
1 large  Green Pepper, cut into large chunks
1-1/2 lbs  Lean Pork Tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes

Coconut Rice
2 cups  Long Grain Rice
2 cups  Canned Coconut Milk
2 cups  Water
2 tsp  Kosher Salt
1 can  Black Beans, drained and rinsed
Lime and Orange Wedges for Garnish

Using a large zip lock bag, combine the orange juice, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Add the pork pieces to the mixture and zip bag closed, turning bag over to coat the pork.  Refrigerate and allow to marinate 2 - 4 hours.

In a small glass bowl, combine the pineapple preserves, Serrano pepper and 1 tablespoon lime juice.  Stir to fully combine and set aside at room temp for about 1 hour until ready to use.  (** Prepare the glaze in advance so the flavors have time to blend.)

Combine the rice, coconut milk, water, salt and pepper in a large saucepan.  Bring mixture to a boil, cover and reduce heat to low and cook for 15-18 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.  Let rice stand 5 minutes and fluff with a fork, then add the black beans and stir.

Drain the pork and discard the marinade. Thread the pieces of pork onto metal skewers alternating with pieces of pineapple, green pepper and red onion.

Grill the pork kabobs over medium-high heat for 8 - 10 minutes or until no longer pink inside, brushing with the glaze after each turn.

Serve each kabob with a scoop of coconut rice and orange and lime wedges for garnish.  Enjoy!!

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Anguillan Beef and Chicken Kabobs

Summer is a great time to experiment with the cuisines of the Caribbean.  The foods from this region are light and full of bright flavors and main courses are served with lots of fresh fruits and veggies, often grilled and served with light sauces.  All of this comes together as a quick and healthy summertime dinner.


Serving a "mixed grill" of beef, chicken and/or pork is something we love to serve and is a great way to use meat from the freezer when you don't have quite enough of just one meat to serve the whole family.  By serving a little of each,  everyone can pick and choose what they like and you can can use up all of the spare items from the freezer that might have gotten lost in the shuffle.  A couple of chicken breasts, a few pork chops and a steak or two and you have the beginnings of a delicious dinner.  Cooking these meats on kabobs and using a single marinade makes it even easier.

Tonight we sampled the cuisine from the island of Anguilla.  Located in the northern Leeward Islands, Anguilla has a a unique blend of residents and cuisines.  The foods enjoyed in Anguilla are influenced by African, French, Spanish and Caribbean flavors and the results are delicious.

This recipe is a staple marinade for beef but it works equally well with chicken or pork.

Marinade
3/4 cup  Pineapple Juice
1/3 cup  White Wine Vinegar
2 1/2 TB  Molasses
2 TB  Orange Juice
1 tsp  Salt
1/4 tsp  Ground Black Pepper

1 lb  Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 lb  Beef Sirloin or Tenderloin, cut into 1-inch cubes

In a medium glass bowl combine all of the ingredients for the marinade and stir to combine.

Place the cubes of chicken in one bowl and the beef cubes in a second bowl, and divide the marinade into thirds, pouring 1/3 over the chicken, 1/3 over the beef, and reserving the last 1/3 portion.  Cover the bowls and the extra marinade and refrigerate for 2 - 4 hours.

Heat the grill to medium.  Using metal skewers, thread the chicken onto 2 skewers and the beef onto 2 skewers.  (You may need an additional 1 or 2 skewers here, but remember to keep the chicken and beef separate.)

The kabobs will cook quickly, only needing about 10 - 12 minutes for the chicken, turning once halfway thru and about 8 minutes for the beef, also turning once while cooking.  Drizzle the kabobs with the reserved marinade while they are grilling.

For a quick side dish, thread an assortment of veggies onto skewers (we used portobello mushrooms, onion chunks and green pepper chunks).  Spray the veggie kabobs lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  These can be grilled along with the chicken and beef for about 5 minutes, turning once.  Enjoy!!

Friday, May 25, 2012

Lime Chicken Kabobs with Coconut Dipping Sauce

Kabobs are one of the easiest dinners to prepare in the summertime, and most of the prep work can be done long before it's time to light the grill. Just toss the chicken pieces into a zip lock bag and marinate for an hour or 2. When you're ready to grill, thread the chicken pieces onto skewers and you're ready to go.

This recipe brings together the bold flavors that Caribbean food is known for.  Cubes of chicken are marinated in lime juice then grilled for a quick 6-8 minutes for a fast and tasty dinner.  An additional burst of flavor comes from the coconut dipping sauce which combines coconut milk with cream, fresh ginger and crushed red pepper flakes.  The sauce is is so full of flavor and as good as it tasted on the chicken, it was even better poured over the couscous.

I would have liked the dipping sauce to have a little thicker consistency so this recipe will probably be reworked a time or two until we get it just right.  It is definitely going on the menu for this summer!

Serve this healthy, quick and easy dish with a side of couscous and some steamed edamame.  Enjoy!!

1 1/2 lbs  Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes
1/3 cup  Lime Juice
2 TB  Olive Oil
2 tsp  Garlic Powder
1 tsp  Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Sauce
1  15-oz can  Light Coconut Milk
1/3 cup  Lime Juice
1/2 cup  Heavy Cream or Half and Half
1 tsp  Lime Zest
1 TB  Fresh Ginger, minced or zested
1 tsp  Salt
1/4 tsp  Ground Black Pepper
1/2 tsp  Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Chopped Fresh Cilantro for Garnish (optional)

Place the chicken pieces and 1/3 cup lime juice in a zip lock bag.  Seal and marinate for 1 - 2 hours.

In a small saucepan, whisk together the coconut milk, lime juice, cream or half and half, lime zest, ginger, salt, pepper and red pepper.  Heat mixture, stirring often until sauce comes almost to a boil.  Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.  Sauce will thicken slightly as it rests.

Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers and grill or broil 6 - 8 minutes turning once.  (Grilling Tip:  Spraying the grill grates lightly with olive oil will prevent the chicken from sticking.)

Reheat the sauce on low heat, if needed, but do not boil.  Transfer chicken to serving plates and spoon the sauce over the chicken.  Sprinkle chicken with chopped cilantro, if desired, and serve with a small dish of sauce for dipping.  Enjoy!!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Caribbean Jerk-Rubbed Chicken Kabobs

Jamaican Jerk Seasonings or Rubs are a simple blend of fairly common spices.  The main difference compared to American cuisine is the combination of savory spices such as garlic, onion and pepper with traditionally sweet spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.  The spice mixture can be used on chicken or pork, but also works well on shrimp or other shellfish.  I even used a bit of it in the Jamaican Beans and Rice that accompanied this dish and the results were delicious!

      
Even though the list of ingredients is a bit long, you should have enough of the spice mix to use for several batches of kabobs.  Enjoy!

Jerk Seasoning Mix

2 TB  Kosher Salt
2 tsp  Brown Sugar
2 tsp  Garlic Powder
2 tsp  Onion Powder
2 tsp  Allspice
1 tsp  Crushed Red Pepper
1 tsp  Dried Chives
1 tsp  Paprika
1 tsp  Black Pepper
1 tsp  Nutmeg
1 tsp  Ground Ginger
1/2 tsp  Dried Thyme
1/2 tsp  Ground Cinnamon
1/2 tsp  Ground Cloves
2 lb  Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tsp  Olive Oil
Veggies/fruit of your choice - Red Onion, Green Pepper, Jalapenos, Fresh Pineapple - cut into 1-inch pieces

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl.  Sprinkle about 2 TB Seasoning Mix onto chicken pieces along with the olive oil and toss to evenly coat.  Add a bit more of the rub, if needed, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours for best flavor.

 
Thread chicken pieces onto kabob skewers alternating with the veggies and pineapple.  Grill over medium-high heat (about 450 degrees) for a total of 12 - 15 minutes, turning 1/4 turn every 3 - 4 minutes.  During the last few minutes of cooking time, drizzle or brush the kabobs with pineapple juice.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Red Pepper-Lime Chicken Kabobs

Ok, so we have back to back Kabob recipes this week, each with it's own distinct flavor.  There are several reasons these make a great summer dinner.  Prep time is only about 10 minutes, cooking time is another 10 minutes (or less), and it keeps the kitchen cool on a hot summer night!


Enjoy this simple and healthy dinner with a couple of basic sides like veggies and mashed sweet potatoes.

2 tsp  Olive Oil
1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
4 Cloves Garlic, minced
4 oz  Lime Juice
4 Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 1- 1/2-inch cubes

Combine olive oil, red pepper, garlic and lime juice in shallow bowl. Add chicken to marinade. Cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours.

Using metal skewers, place 6 - 8 cubes of chicken on each kabob.  Heat grill to medium, and grill until chicken is evenly browned, turning skewers several times.

** Note: This recipe is also great using flank steak. Slice into 1" cubes, cutting against the grain. Marinate beef and chicken in seperate bowls. Cook beef 4-5 minutes each side.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Mango-Habanero Chicken Kabobs

The Habanero Chili Pepper is one of the most intense peppers on the Scoville Scale, with a rating of around 100,000 to 350,000 units.  If you compare this rating to that of a Bell Pepper with zero units, an Anaheim Chili around 500-700 units, and a Tabasco pepper around 30,000 units, the Habanero carries a huge punch of heat in a very small package.  The peppers are usually only about an inch long and are most often orange or red and can be found in most markets.  For the most flavor from this slightly citrus-flavored pepper, but a little less intense heat, use the outside of the pepper and discard the seeds. 


In this recipe, when you combine the spicy Habanero with the sweetness of a Mango, you get an amazing flavor combo that can be used on chicken, pork, shrimp or tuna steaks.

4  Large Mangoes
1  Habanero Pepper, fully ripe
1/2 cup  Lime Juice
3-inch Piece of Ginger, grated
1/4 - 1/2 cup  Sugar
1 - 2 cups  Water
4 Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless, cut into 1-1/2 inch cubes
Salt and Pepper

Prepare Sauce in Advance:  Remove stem from the habanero and add the whole pepper to a food processor.  Remove the pit from each mango and add the flesh to the food processor. Blend until smooth.

In a medium saucepan, over low heat, combine the lime juice, ginger, 1/4 cup sugar and 1 cup water.  Continue to stir over low heat until completely blended.

Bring the mixture to a low boil and allow the sauce to thicken, about 30 minutes.  Taste the sauce and adjust the sweetness as needed.  The sauce should be a bit sweet but the pepper flavor should come thru also.  If you prefer a thinner sauce, add a bit more water, just a teaspoon at a time, until the  desired thinkness is reached.

Refrigerate overnight and use as a marinade on chicken, pork or even shrimp or serve as a dipping sauce on the side.

When ready to grill kabobs, skewer 6 - 8 pieces of chicken onto metal skewers.  Lightly coat each kabob with mango sauce and grill over medium heat.  Turn several times adding a light coating of sauce with each turn. Serve with sweet potato fries and a side of extra sauce.