Peruvian Beef Kabobs

Spring came early in NJ. For two weeks solid, it was 75 degrees out. For me, the weather presented a test of discipline. See, I just started a new job that allows me to work full time from home. As I sat in my home office with the window open, warm breeze blowing in, it was a true test to stay put and focus on training and work. But I did it!

But that was then... this morning it was 35 degrees when I got up...

The Spring weather inspired me to try some new recipes for the grill. My husband got out the deck furniture early and we enjoyed several nights outside, with our little one happily gobbling her dinner while she looked for "tweet-tweets". These kabobs are easy and pretty inexpensive for a beef dinner, since you use a cut of London Broil. I used a piece of meat that was about 1 3/4 pounds and we got two full meals from it. I served it with potato salad and crusty bread the first night and roasted potatoes and grilled asparagus the second...



Peruvian Beef Kabobs
adapted from Weber: Time to Grill

3 red bell peppers, 2 whole and 1 cut into 1 1/4-inch squares
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 pounds top round london broil, cut into 1 1/4 inch chunks

Roast 2 of the red peppers. To do this, I put them on skewers and turn them over the flame of my gas stove. You could also use the broiler in your over or your grill. Once the skins are black all over, place them in a brown paper bag and roll down the top of the bag to allow the peppers to steam.

Once the peppers have cooled, peel off the black skin and remove the stems and seeds. Tear into pieces and put into the bowl of a food processor with the garlic, vinegar, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Process to a paste and then stream in the oil with the processor running.

Pour 1/2 the marinade over the meat and refrigerate for several hours. Reserve the rest of the marinade to use as a sauce.

Preheat grill to medium. Place beef and remaining red pepper on skewers, alternating the meat and peppers. Grill 6-8 minutes for medium rare, turning every couple of minutes.

Serve with reserved marinade.

Serves 4.

Authentic Greek chicken souvlaki

The second dish on my Greek menu is chicken souvlaki. With a simple four ingredients, this chicken is full of flavor, especially when served with homemade tzatziki. It wasn't in Greece that I fell in love with chicken souvlaki, but rather at Pithari Taverna in Highland Park, NJ. Grilled to perfection, it's juicy and flavorful - and I rarely order chicken in restaurants.

This dish is also very healthy and light. It pairs nicely with a simple Greek salad, grilled vegetables, lemon potatoes or any other combination of side dishes. I always use fat free Greek yogurt for my tzatziki - it's still rich and creamy, but with the fat. I had mint on hand, but you could also use fresh dill or fresh oregano (don't use dried oregano).

Still to come: Eggplant spirals and our first course of potato and baby octopus salad. So check back for those recipes. And don't miss the fried olive bread. All of the recipes are based on those found in Vefa's Kitchen - if you're going to have one Greek cookbook in your collection, this is it!



Chicken Souvlaki
adapted from Vefa's Kitchen

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 tsp. dried oregano, preferably Greek
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lemon

Place the chicken in a bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle the oregano over the top and stir to coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 6 hours or overnight. About an hour before cooking, remove from the refrigerator and sprinkle the lemon juice over the top. Let sit about 45 minutes then thread onto skewers (you can alternate with peppers and onions if you like).

Grill the skewered chicken until cooked through, a few minutes per side. Brush with a little of the marinade after putting on the grill - but be sure not to put marinade on for the last few minutes so it is cooked through!

Sprinkle with sea salt if desired and serve with homemade tzatziki.

NOTE: this recipe works great with pork too and can easily be multiplied for a crowd. The amount shown above serves 2-4 depending on side dishes.

Tzatziki

1 8 oz. container fat free Greek yogurt (such as Fage or Chobani)
1 2-inch piece of cucumber, peeled and grated
1 clove of garlic, minced
1-2 tsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano, mint or dill
2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Cover and refrigerate at least a few hours before serving.

Little Italy Relish: Quick pick-me-up for grilled steak

One of the simplest dinners is grilled steak. It's quick and easy, but with a little extra effort it can seem like an elegant dinner. Paired with a nice side dish, a classic caesar salad, and some good red wine, it was a perfect Saturday night dinner. To add a little more flavor and flare to the meal, I made a fresh batch of Little Italy Relish. It's a no-cook relish that comes together as fast as you can chop the ingredients. Olives, roasted red peppers, and more combine to bring a unique flavor to a simple steak dinner. Served at room temperature, the heat from the steaks brings out even more flavor.

I made more than enough for the two of us. I wanted leftovers! This relish will be great on roast beef sandwiches or even better on a hot steak sandwich with melted provolone on garlic bread. It'd also be delicious as a topping for a salad with grilled chicken. Or simply put a scoop of it on a piece of crusty bread like Jeff did after dinner!



Little Italy Relish
Adapted from Weber Real Grilling

1 roasted red bell pepper, diced
1/2 medium ripe tomato, diced
1/2 cup pitted green olives, diced
1/2 cup pitted black olives, diced (I used Calamata)
1 stalk celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 Tbsp. good quality extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and set aside at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving. If making a day ahead, refrigerate overnight and let come to room tempterature before serving.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups. Serve over your favorite cut of grilled steaks.