This Fourth of July, serve it on a skewer
Grilling on skewers has evolved over the years. Anything goes these days, from vegetables to chicken to fruit. Since skewers save time when it comes to cleanup, you’ll have more time to enjoy the Fourth of July festivities. Serve skewers on a bed of rice or alone, and you’ll have a wonderful summer meal perfect for a holiday celebration.
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Hawaiian Chicken Kabobs
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons sherry or chicken broth
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
8 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 20-ounce can pineapple chunks, drained
In a shallow glass dish, mix the soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry, sesame oil, ginger, and garlic powder. Stir the chicken pieces and pineapple into the marinade until well coated. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 hours.
Preheat grill to medium-high heat; lightly oil the grill grate. Thread chicken and pineapple alternately onto skewers. Grill 15 to 20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until chicken juices run clear. Makes 8 servings.
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Reserving half of this mixture to use for basting adds extra flavor.
Peanutty Pork Kabobs
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup lime or lemon juice
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound), cut into 1-inch cubes
2 medium green peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
In a large bowl, combine soy sauce, juice, peanut butter, brown sugar, garlic, red pepper flakes, and ginger; mix well. Set aside 1/2 cup for basting; cover and refrigerate. Pour remaining marinade into a large resealable plastic bag or shallow glass container; add pork and turn to coat. Seal or cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, turning occasionally. Drain and discard the marinade.
Thread pork and green peppers alternately on skewers. Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for 6 minutes, turning once. Baste with reserved marinade. Grill until meat juices run clear, about 8 to 10 minutes longer, turning and basting frequently. Makes 4 servings.
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Pantry Pointers
If you use bamboo skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 10 minutes before using. This prevents them from burning up on the grill.
Vegetables are done when they are fork tender and have nice grill marks; for meat, use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
The Practical Pantry ©2005 Tammy P. Olson
http://www.practicalpantry.com
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