Middle Eastern Food: The Kebab

Hello Readers!
I've been asked to teach a class on Middle Eastern food.  It was actually a while ago, but some things take time and I forget sometimes to do things. Also I have so many favorites, it's hard to pick what to teach. And if I teach them all we would have to start the day before!

So right now, I am going to blog my journey to narrowing down the foods to teach. Or maybe make it more than one class? Or heck, a cookbook. Who knows where this will lead (laughs). World domination! Okay maybe not that far.

Today's test came from getting a new grill (thanks to my neighbors who are awesome and got a mega super awesome grill with sensor lights - its really a holy moly kinda thing - so they sold us their original one. )

I'm not a grill person, well, I have not been up until now. So I didn't really know what I was doing. I'm not entirely sure I do quite yet, but I have learned a few lessons:

1.) The grill must be on, properly. If it has a trip switch, chances are I will find it. And trip it.
2.) When they say it gets hot, they mean it gets HOT. Fires and smoke ensue. There's a reason the dial has a 500 Degrees on it.
3.) The drip pan must be emptied, folks. Or else it catches fire.
4.) Heat up the grill like you would an oven, first. Don't plop chicken in there with a cold grill.
5.) When it comes to yogurt covered grilled chicken, foil is your friend.
6.) Have hot pads. The good thick ones from Pampered Chef. I have a lady, come see me if you need them.
7.) Do NOT leave it in the garage, even with the door open. Smoke. Lots of it.

But after all these "lessons" I did end up with a really really good chicken kebab dinner, so there's that. I used this recipe but replaced the lemon juice with lime and cut out the cumin (Hubby doesnt like it and this recipe didnt need it). Turned out great.

http://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/middle-eastern-chicken-kebabs.html

I mixed yogurt, olive oil, paprika, cinnamon, red pepper flake, lime juice, salt, pepper, and garlic in a bowl.
Then cut up and skewered chicken thighs and breast. I loved the thighs, and Hubby would rather have white meat so I made both. I skipped the onion - it never seems to turn out right when I add veg to a skewer. I get rubber onions.
Then I used a baster to put on the yogurt, both sides, laid foil on the grill and let the grill do the work. As you can imagine smoke and fire ensued because I didnt clean the drip pan, I turned it up all the way not to medium as the recipe calls for, and because I really had no idea what i was doing!
But we saved the grill and the chicken .

I would recommend oiling the foil before laying chicken on since the chicken was sticking to it when I tried to flip it. Oh and another tip, dont but a half tongs/half spatula combo if you happen to see it. It's not a good tool.

I served it with Rice A Roni (don't judge!) with tomatoes and corn on the cob.
I'm stuffed and happy.

If you've got a grill and some skills, give this recipe a try (link above).
This one is definitely going in my "do again" pile!!
But will I teach it? Not sure, I wonder if it would be too much to have a grill in one area and the rest of the cooking lesson in another.
Need to think about it.

Vicky AKA the Clumsy Chef