Shish Kebab
Turkish skewers with beef.
I got this recipe from a book I bought last year in Bodrum. I had a leftover piece of very good beef tenderloin that couldn't be cut into nice slices anymore, so I cut it into cubes for these skewers. The onion juice adds flavor to the meat, tenderizes it and enhances its taste. It also reduces the oxidation of the meat during marinating. This is the first time I've used this method and I really liked it. I'll try it on large steak pieces too.
Ingredients
500g beef for grilling (any "steak" cut or beef tenderloin)
2 medium onions
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
1/4 teaspoon pul biber (or chili flakes and a pinch of sweet paprika)
1-2 peppers
For finishing
1/4 lemon
1 tablespoon olive oil
oregano
Pieces: 6; Servings: 2-3
How to prepare shish kebab
- Put the onions cut into large pieces with the salt in a food processor or blender and blend until pureed. Then squeeze well through cheesecloth to collect the juice.
- Mix the onion juice with the oil and chili.
- Cut the meat into pieces of about 2.5cm. Put it in the mixture above, mix well and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
- Cut the peppers into squares about the same size as the meat pieces. Thread the meat onto skewers, alternating with pepper pieces. I put 4 pieces of meat per skewer and got 6 skewers in total.
- Let the skewers sit for 15 minutes at room temperature.
- Heat a grill pan (without added fat) for 5 minutes over high heat. Turn the heat to medium-low and place as many skewers as will fit, leaving space between them.
- Grill the skewers for 3 minutes per side and then turn them on their edges for another 30 seconds.
- As you remove the skewers to a platter, drizzle them with lemon juice and keep them covered with aluminum foil.
- At the end, when you've finished all the skewers, drizzle them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sprinkle with oregano.
- Serve them with Bulgarian pepper grilled alongside the skewers, tomatoes cut in half and grilled for about 2 minutes on the hot grill after you've finished the meat, and a mound of Turkish rice.
Cutting the meat into cubes
Marinating in onion juice, oil and chili
Skewers waiting to go on the grill
Shish Kebab
