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The Perfect Summer Kebabs

ByAshley Baal

Here’s to all you grill fanatics:

Step 1: Pick your protein

  • Chicken (go with boneless, skinless breasts or thighs-cooking time about 5 minutes)
  • Beef (blade, flatiron, or skirt steaks have the best balance of tenderness and beefy flavor-cooking time about 2-4 minutes for medium-rare)
  • Tuna (steak of the sea-cooking time about 2 minutes for rare)
  • Lamb (Boneless leg or rib chops for maximum tenderness paired with a spicy marinade-cooking time about 2-4 minutes for medium-rare)
  • Shrimp (Find whole ones that have been deveined and shelled-they are done when they are firm and pink with a bit of char)

Step 2: Pick your marinade

  • Curried yogurt (1 cup full-fat yogurt + 1 tsp curry powder + 1 tsp salt + 1/2 tsp ground pepper)
  • Teriyaki (1 tsp minced garlic + 1 tsp minced fresh ginger + 1/2 cup soy sauce + 1 Tbsp sugar)
  • Spicy Moroccan (In a blender, puree 1 jarred roasted red bell pepper + 3 Tbsp olive oil + 3 garlic cloves + 2 tsp red-pepper flakes + 1 tsp each of salt, ground cumin, and coriander)
  • Black Olive and Caper (1/2 cup finely chopped and pitted kalamata olives + 1/4 cup olive oil + 1/4 cup chopped capers + 3 minced garlic cloves + 1 Tbsp lemon juice + ground black pepper)
  • Lemon-Pepper (1/3 cup olive oil + 1 tsp grated lemon zest + 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice + 2 finely chopped garlic cloves + 1 tsp salt + 1 tsp ground pepper)

Step 3: Pick your veggies

  • Zucchini/Red Pepper/Onion (skewer half-inch zucchini slices through the skin so they don’t spin as you turn the kebabs)
  • Prosciutto/Tomato/Basil (wrap a slice of prosciutto around a cherry tomato before skewering, and alternate with the meat and whole basil leaves)
  • Okra/Smoky Bacon (bacon crisps up nicely on the grill, adding a smoky note to green okra)
  • Green Bean/Potato/Mushroom (use halved cremini mushrooms, along with baby red new potatoes that have been boiled for 15 minutes and then halved)
  • Scallions/Pickled Ginger (these ingredients add instant sweet and savory Asian flavors. Use them with steak for a version of the Japanese beef dish negimaki; with tuna, the result is almost like grilled sushi)

Step 4: Pick your sauce

  • Easy Lemon Aioli (This flavorful French mayonnaise adds a creamy kick to kebabs. To make it in minutes, use a shortcut: a jar of store-bought mayo. Whisk together 1/2 cup of olive-oil mayonnaise with 1 finely chopped garlic clove, 1 tsp grated lemon zest, and 2 tsp lemon juice. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper)
  • Cilantro Chimichurri (This simple South American sauce adds freshness to grilled meats. In a food processor, combine 1 cup cilantro leaves, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup lime juice, 2 garlic cloves, and 1/2 tsp each of red-pepper flakes and salt. Pulse the ingredients until they’re finely chopped)
  • Spicy Chili Sauce (Smear on this hot and sweet sauce during grilling for an extra layer of heat, or use it for dipping at the table. (To make it, stir together 1/3 cup of Asian chili sauce with 1/3 cup of maple syrup, and mix in 2 finely chopped scallions)