Barbecue kabobs are quick, smoky
At a recent dinner at Toro Toro restaurant in Miami, one of chef and restaurateur Richard Sandoval’s 50 restaurants worldwide, he talked with me about recipes that have smoked barbecue flavors but are cooked inside. He calls it “Cookout Inside.”
The smoked flavor comes fromthe sauce. In this recipe, the sauce is used as adipping sauce for beef kabobs. He adds Esquites (Fried Corn) as a side dish. I’ve adapted his ideas for this quick barbecue-flavored dinner. It’s perfect whether you’re in a hurry for dinner or live in an apartment without access to grilling facilities.
Chipotle peppers are red jalapeno peppers that are ripened, dried and smoked. They’re sold dried or canned in adobo sauce. I used powdered chipotle chili pepper found in the spice section of the market to give a quick smoked flavor in this dinner. You can, also, use smoked paprika for a smoky addition to the sauce.
Helpful hints
■ The heat is up to you. Add more chipotle chili pepper if you like your sauce really hot.
■ It’s best to leave 1/4inch between ingredients on skewers to let heat reach all sides. Use more skewers, if needed.
■ Aquickway to defrost the frozen vegetables is to place them in a strainer and run hot water over them.
Countdown
■ Make Esquites and set aside.
■ Make dipping sauce. ■ Broil kabobs.
Shopping list To buy:
1 small bottle instant espresso coffee, 1 small bottle honey, 1 bottle Worcestershire sauce 1 small bottle ketchup, 1 bottle chipotle chili pepper, 1 container unsweetened cocoa powder, 3/4 pound grassfed strip steak, 1 green bell pepper, 1 container cherry tomatoes, package frozen chopped onion, 1 package frozen chopped green bell pepper, 1 package frozen corn kernels, 1 small bottle hot pepper sauce.
canola oil, salt and black pepper corns.
Staples: BARBECUE-FLAVORED KABOBS
Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
FORDIPPINGSAUCE: 1 tablespooninstant
espressocoffee 2tablespoonshoney 2tablespoonsketchup 1 teaspoonchipotle chili
pepper 1 tablespoonunsweetened
cocoapowder 2teaspoons
Worcestershiresauce FORKABOBS: 3/4poundgrass-fedstrip steak, cut into1-2-inch cubes Saltandfreshly ground
blackpepper 1cupgreenbellpepper,
(cut into2-inch pieces) 8cherrytomatoes
Preheatbroilerand line a baking sheet with foil. Add instant espresso coffee, honeyand ketchup to a mixing bowl. Mixwell. Add the chipotle powder, cocoa andWorcestershire sauce. Stir to forma smooth sauce. Set aside fordipping sauce. Threadthe steak, green bellpepperand cherry tomatoes on 2 long skewers, alternating the ingredients. Place skewers on thebaking sheet and broil 5 to6inches fromthe heat for3 minutes. Turn skewers overand broil 2 moreminutes formediumrare. Broil another2minutes formorewell done. Serve with the dipping sauce on the side.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 303 calories (18 percent from fat), 6.1 g fat (2.3 g saturated, 2.2 gmonounsaturated), 96 mg cholesterol, 42.2 g protein, 25.1 g carbohydrates, 4.8 g fiber, 238 mg sodium.
ESQUITES(FRIEDCORN)
2teaspoonscanola oil 11/2-cups frozen, chopped
onion, defrosted 11/2-cups frozenchopped greenbellpepper, defrosted 2cupsfrozencornkernels,
defrosted Severaldropshotpepper
sauce Saltandfreshly ground blackpeppertotaste Heat oil in anonstick skillet overmedium-high heat. Add onion, greenpeppers and corn. Saute 5 to6minutes. Add, hotpeppersauce, salt and pepperto taste.
Yield 2 servings.
Per serving: 141 calories (33 percent from fat), 5.2 g fat (0.5 g saturated, 3 gmonounsaturated), no cholesterol, 3.3 g protein, 23.7 g carbohydrates, 3.6 g fiber, 14mg sodium.