meat - The Kitchen Buzzz

In Meats On September 27, 2013 4 Comments

Not in the mood to cook for an hour? The only ingredients you need are two steaks, a couple of bell peppers, an onion and jalapeño. After minutes in the kitch, you can both sit down and enjoy this no-frills fajita lunch or dinner (our featured photo is also a no-frills photo). After a long day, make sure to accompany this dinner with a good vino!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 7 to 8 minutes
Serves: 2

Ingredients:

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced
1 medium-large white or yellow onion, sliced
1 jalapeno pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped (optional)
1/3 cup (equivalent to 6 tablespoons) olive or vegetable oil
Two 8-ounce New York or Sirloin steaks, fat trimmed and meat cut into strips (3/4-inch wide X 3 inches long)
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch skillet.

2. Add the peppers, onion and jalapeño; stir-fry for about 2 minutes or until onion is translucent and begins to turn light golden brown.

3. Transfer the cooked pepper-onion mixture to a plate; set aside.

4. In same skillet heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil; add the meat.

5. Stir-fry the meat for about 2 to 4 minutes. After 2 minutes, taste one fajita strip. If needed, cook fajitas for 1 to 2 more minutes.

6. After 1 to 2 minutes, stir in the cooked pepper-onion mixture. Heat through and serve immediately.

Note: The bell peppers can be substituted with pasilla peppers or a mix of both pasilla and bell peppers.

Greek Lamb Kabobs

During my high school senior year in Massachusetts, my friendship with a Greek family magically transported me to a new and exotic land – Greece. Later on, my studies of Greek art history and culture left me in awe of what this unique land has given the world (democracy, philosophers, architecture, amazing art, lively music and a delicious cuisine). Flanked by the Aegean, Ionian and Mediterranean seas, eighty percent of Greece’s terrain is mountainous – a perfect environment for sheep. And for millennia, the peoples of Greece have relied on sheep to sustain them with milk, cheese and meat. Clearly, some of the best lamb kabobs I have ever tasted in my life have been those served to me by my Greek friends!

The instructions for this recipe look long, but they are deceiving – after marinating, these delicious kabobs are made on the spot!

Active prep time: 25 to 30 minutes
Inactive prep time: 8 hours (marinating)
Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
3 garlic cloves, crushed
Juice from 3 lemons or limes
2 tablespoons fresh chopped oregano or mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 pounds lean lamb steaks (bone removed and meat cut into 2-inch chunks)
1 green bell pepper, halved lengthwise, seeds and stem discarded
1 red bell pepper, halved lengthwise, seeds and stem discarded
1 large red onion, peeled and quartered
2 large vine-ripened tomatoes, quartered and pulp discarded
6 to 8 wooden skewers (10 to 12-inch length)
Salt and pepper, to taste

PREPARE THE MEAT & CUT-UP VEGGIES:

1. Mix the first four ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

2. Place lamb chunks in a large glass bowl; pour the marinade over lamb and stir to combine.

3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

4. Cut green and red bell peppers into 2-inch squares; set aside.

5. Pull onion quarters apart to yield 12 to 16 pieces

6. Cut each tomato quarter in half; set aside.

ASSEMBLE THE KABOBS:

1. Put 1 onion section on skewer followed by 1 lamb chunk, 1 green bell pepper square, 1 tomato section, 1 red bell pepper square.

2. Repeat until skewer is full, ending with an onion section.

3. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; set aside while assembling remaining kabobs.

4. Grill kabobs on an outdoor barbeque or indoors in an oven.