For effortless entertaining or healthy cooking in a snap, kabobs win top marks for both ease and flavor. From savory meat and veggie combinations to sweetly seared fruits and desserts, these skewers are simple to assemble and are only limited by the imagination.
Chef Jennifer Chandler, Memphis-based author of the forthcoming Simply Grilling, loves kabobs’ simplicity and versatility.
“For parties, kabobs are a great idea because they are simple to prepare yet make a dramatic presentation,” Chandler says. “Plus, I don’t think I have ever found a food on a stick I didn’t love!”
Tropical kabobs
Chandler’s recipes for Caribbean grilled shrimp kabobs with pineapple salsa calls for marinating deveined shrimp for 30 minutes in a puréed mixture of cilantro, scallions, green chiles, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, and cumin. From there, it’s a quick threading onto a pre-soaked wooden skewer and two or three minutes on a medium-high outdoor grill, countertop grill, or stovetop grill pan.
“I like to grill my shrimp on skewers so I don’t lose any between the grates,” Chandler says. “But don’t overcook shrimp or they will be chewy. When they’re pink, they’re done.”
Serve with a chilled salsa of diced pineapple, red onion, jalapeno, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
Hearty & healthy kabobs
Seafood not available? Try surprising combinations of cubed meats and veggies like these:
Pork souvlaki skewers in a lemony oregano marinade. String with cherry tomatoes and serve with pita bread.
Fun-to-eat chicken satay skewers with spicy peanut sauce.
Fennel, eggplant, and artichoke kabobs with lemon-olive oil marinade.
With all kabobs, the secret to a stick-free surface is a light coat of vegetable oil on the grilling surface. Also: preheat the grill to medium-high before adding the kabobs, and while the kabobs cook, keep the grill lid closed, or the pan covered. Every peek under the hood lets precious moisture escape. (Want more healthy dinner ideas?)
Dessert kabobs
To create a dessert your guests will be talking about all summer, grill seasonal fruits on bamboo skewers. As fruits such as peaches, strawberries, and bananas grill, their natural sugars rise to the surface and caramelize, creating a sweet sear that’s music to the tongue! Use whatever firm-fleshed fruits are your favorite. Nectarines, plums, and mangoes are excellent for grilling.
Chandler suggests pairing fruit kabobs with a white chocolate dipping sauce made from 6 oz. white chocolate and 1½ cups of heavy cream. The preparation couldn’t be easier:
“Place the white chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepot over medium-high heat, bring the heavy cream to a boil,” Chandler says. “Pour scalded cream over the chocolate and let it sit for one minute to melt the chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Then thread the peaches, bananas, and strawberries alternately onto the skewers and place on the grill. Turn the kabobs frequently, until you have grill marks on all sides of the fruit, about 5 minutes total.”
Sizzlin’ summer kabobs
By Sarah Reiss
For effortless entertaining or healthy cooking in a snap, kabobs win top marks for both ease and flavor. From savory meat and veggie combinations to sweetly seared fruits and desserts, these skewers are simple to assemble and are only limited by the imagination.
Chef Jennifer Chandler, Memphis-based author of the forthcoming Simply Grilling, loves kabobs’ simplicity and versatility.
“For parties, kabobs are a great idea because they are simple to prepare yet make a dramatic presentation,” Chandler says. “Plus, I don’t think I have ever found a food on a stick I didn’t love!”
Tropical kabobs
Chandler’s recipes for Caribbean grilled shrimp kabobs with pineapple salsa calls for marinating deveined shrimp for 30 minutes in a puréed mixture of cilantro, scallions, green chiles, garlic, lime juice, olive oil, and cumin. From there, it’s a quick threading onto a pre-soaked wooden skewer and two or three minutes on a medium-high outdoor grill, countertop grill, or stovetop grill pan.
“I like to grill my shrimp on skewers so I don’t lose any between the grates,” Chandler says. “But don’t overcook shrimp or they will be chewy. When they’re pink, they’re done.”
Serve with a chilled salsa of diced pineapple, red onion, jalapeno, lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
Hearty & healthy kabobs
Seafood not available? Try surprising combinations of cubed meats and veggies like these:
With all kabobs, the secret to a stick-free surface is a light coat of vegetable oil on the grilling surface. Also: preheat the grill to medium-high before adding the kabobs, and while the kabobs cook, keep the grill lid closed, or the pan covered. Every peek under the hood lets precious moisture escape. (Want more healthy dinner ideas?)
Dessert kabobs
To create a dessert your guests will be talking about all summer, grill seasonal fruits on bamboo skewers. As fruits such as peaches, strawberries, and bananas grill, their natural sugars rise to the surface and caramelize, creating a sweet sear that’s music to the tongue! Use whatever firm-fleshed fruits are your favorite. Nectarines, plums, and mangoes are excellent for grilling.
Chandler suggests pairing fruit kabobs with a white chocolate dipping sauce made from 6 oz. white chocolate and 1½ cups of heavy cream. The preparation couldn’t be easier:
“Place the white chocolate in a heat-proof bowl. In a small saucepot over medium-high heat, bring the heavy cream to a boil,” Chandler says. “Pour scalded cream over the chocolate and let it sit for one minute to melt the chocolate. Whisk until smooth. Then thread the peaches, bananas, and strawberries alternately onto the skewers and place on the grill. Turn the kabobs frequently, until you have grill marks on all sides of the fruit, about 5 minutes total.”