Grilled Kebabs, a Neanderthal Delicacy

In this entry, I want to walk you through a very simple, yet delicious meal that just about anyone can make on the grill. You've seen them at the butcher's in your local supermarket, maybe you have ordered them at a restaurant before or perhaps you have even attempted to make them yourself...I'm talking about Shish-Kebabs! Again, the idea here is to start slow and build up as you become more comfortable cooking on the grill. Kebabs are great to make on the grill and an even better if you build your own instead of buying the pre-made ones at the store. Not only will you be able to pick and choose your ingredients, but you will also get to practice your knife skills!
As with anytime you cook, the number one goal is to prepare SAFE food. It could be the tastiest steak you and your friends have ever had but if you happened to get raw chicken juice on the steak before throwing it on the grill, the only thing you and your friends will remember about the meal is the countless hours spent in the bathroom. Therefore, avoiding cross-contamination is very important..especially when cooking with two different types of meat. With my obligatory food safety speech out of the way, let’s get to cooking!!
Kebabs have been around for a LONG time...literally. They were first used when mid evil Turkish soldiers would skewer meats on their swords and roast them on an open fire. A lot has changed since then but the concept is still pretty much the same. I would avoid using a sword for a skewer unless you really really want to. The first thing you want to do is choose your meats and your vegetables. You can make kebabs with as many different types of meat as you want, as long as they are on separate kebabs. For our kebabs we will use chicken and beef, red onion, mushroom, green pepper, zucchini, yellow squash and grape tomatoes. Here is the recipe:

4 servings (2 kebabs/serving)

1lb chicken breast, cubed 1''x1''
1lb Sirloin, cubed 1''x1''
1 Zucchini, large dice (1''x1'')
1 small Red Onion, large dice
4-8 large button mushrooms
1 large green pepper, large dice
16 sweet grape tomatoes
1/4 cup herb oil marinade (recipe below)
salt and pepper to taste
8 wooden skewers soaked in water for at least 2 hours

Method:
To build your skewer, you can use any order you would like. For presentation and to help the kebabs cook evenly, space the meat throughout the skewer with an equal amount of vegetables between each piece. Once you have built your kebabs, marinade them in the herb oil for approximately one hour. Now its time to start cooking! After your previously heated grill is HOT and clean, oil it up a little to prevent sticking. Season the kebabs with salt and pepper and place on the grill at a 45 degree angle against the rods of the grill. This little trick will help you produce those fancy 'diamond' grill marks. Allow the kebab to cook on each side for around 3 minutes on each side for the chicken to reach a safe internal temperature (165 degrees). For the beef it depends on how you like your beef cooked. For rare, rotate every 2 minutes, Three minutes for medium rare and so on and so forth. (Hint: if you like your beef very rare, I suggest 'blanching' your vegetables in boiling water for a quick minute; this will ensure that your veggies are fully cooked when your beef has reached its desired temp of rare.) When your meat has cooked completely, remove from the grill and let it rest for 2 minutes and you are ready to go!



Herb Oil Marinade
1 Bunch Parsley
10 sprigs of thyme
2 sprigs worth of rosemary leaves
2 sprigs worth of oregano leaves
4 garlic cloves
2 cups canola oil

Method:
Combine all ingredients and blend until herbs and garlic are pureed. Add to meats, chicken and vegetables 2-24 hours before cooking for bright, fresh flavors.