Spiced Kebabs with Mint Sauce and Pineapple
Reed and a friend were coming home from school for a quick overnight before heading to Las Vegas for a senior year boondoogle, so what do I do? Search for a new recipe, of course!
I found Spiced Kebabs with Mint Sauce and Pineapple in the cookbook, Pass the Plate by Carolina Gelen. I had never made kebabs before, but as Gelen states, “they’re as easy to make as a burger.” Roasting the skewers over pineapple imbues the meat with a nice sweetness, while the fruit softens and becomes savory with the meat drippings. As directed, I served a fresh mint sauce and warmed pitas on the side. Reed added tzatziki to his, which seemed like a nice addition that could even replace the mint sauce if you want a quicker weeknight meal.
If you don’t have skewers on hand, I would form the meat into the same oblong shape and roast it with the pineapple on a baking rack set over a baking pan, so that the meat can cook evenly without being turned. Enjoy!
Spiced Kebabs with Mint Sauce and Pineapple
Ingredients
Kebabs
- 1 small pineapple
- 1 lb ground beef (80/20) or lamb
- 4 cloves garlic minced or finely grated
- 3 Tbls finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- kosher salt
Mint Sauce
- 1 c finely chopped fresh mint leaves
- 4 cloves garlic minced or finely grated
- 2 small shallots thinly sliced
- 2 limes grated zest and juiced
- kosher salt
- 1/2 c olive oil
- warm pitas for serving
- tzakiki optional
Instructions
Make the kebabs:
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Peel and core the pineapple, then cut in half into 6 to 8 long wedges (save the rest for snacking). Set the pineapple wedges in a 9×13-inch baking pan.
- In a medium bowl, combine the ground meat, garlic, parsley, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, cayenne and a big pinch of salt. Mix until just combined.
- Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions. Grab one portion of meat, lay a long skewer (10-inches or more) across the meat and use your hand to gradually shape it into a 7- to 9-inch sausage shape around the skewer. Lay the skewer widthwise across the baking pan, setting the ends of the skewer on the edges of the pan so the meat is suspended over the pineapple. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture.
- Bake the skewers until cooked through and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes.
- Preheat the broiler. Place the oven rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Broil the skewers until slightly caramelized on top, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
Make the mint sauce:
- In a small bowl, combine the mint, garlic, shallots, lime zest, lime juice, and a pinch of salt and mix, crushing the garlic and shallot with the back of the spoon as you go. Add the oil and stir again to combine. Taste and adjust the salt as needed.
- To serve, slide the meat off the skewers and place it right on the warm pita. Add a wedge of the roasted pineapple and drizzle some of the drippings on tip. Spoon the mint sauce and optional tzatziki on top and serve.
Follow
