Cumin Chile Pork Kebabs Recipes

PORK KEBABS WITH ROMESCO

Steps:

• Combine the cumin, pimenton, crushed red pepper, garlic, lemon zest and juice and salt. Stir to combine and add enough olive oil until it becomes a loose paste. Add the pork and toss to completely coat. Let sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours or refrigerate overnight
• Romesco: This can totally be done ahead and kept in the refrigerator for any grilled meat or fish need!
• Preheat the grill to medium
• Coat a saute pan with olive oil and add the garlic and crushed red pepper. Bring the pan to a medium heat. When the garlic is very aromatic and starting to turn golden, add the tomatoes and piquillo peppers. Season with salt, to taste, and cook until the tomato is very soft and mushy, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Grill the bread on both sides until nice and toasted. When cool to the touch, cut it into cubes.
• In a food processor, pulse the almonds and bread cubes until they become a coarse paste. Add the cooked tomato mixture and toss in the saffron, sherry vinegar and parsley. Pulse, pulse, pulse to puree. Taste and season with salt, if needed. It should be really yummy! Add 2 tablespoons olive oil or a couple of tablespoons of water if the mixture is really thick.
• Before grilling, skewer the pork to make kebabs, putting about 4 to 5 pieces of meat on each skewer. Don't jam the meat super close together, it's ok if the meat is touching, but do it loosely so the heat can reach all the sides and cook evenly.
• Brush the grill with a wire grill brush and then rub down with an oiled towel to pick up any pieces of loosened crud.
• Grill the skewers on all sides so each side gets nice and brown (brown food tastes good), about 7 to 8 minutes total. Remove the kebobs from the grill to a serving platter and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve with the Romesco sauce.

PORK KEBABS AL PASTOR

Steps:

• Heat a dry small heavy skillet over medium heat until hot, then toast chiles, turning and pressing with tongs, until more pliable and slightly changed in color, about 30 seconds. Stem chiles.
• Purée 1 chile (reserve remainder for salsa) in a blender with pineapple, vinegar, oil, garlic, oregano, cumin, and 1 3/4 tsp salt, then transfer to a bowl.
• Preheat broiler.
• Oil a small baking pan, then add tomatoes and onion. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat, turning occasionally, until tomatoes are wilted, skins are blistered, and onions begin to soften and are charred in spots, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to blender. Add remaining 2 toasted chiles, water, and 1 tsp salt and purée until smooth. Add cilantro and 1/2 cup pineapple basting sauce and pulse until cilantro is finely chopped.
• Prepare grill for direct-heat cooking over medium-hot charcoal (medium-high heat for gas).
• Toss pork with half of remaining pineapple basting sauce, then thread pork, onion, and pineapple onto skewers, leaving small spaces between pieces. Put on a tray. Wrap tortillas in 2 separate foil packages.
• Oil grill rack, then grill skewers, covered only if using a gas grill, turning and basting frequently with remaining sauce (do not baste during last 3 minutes), until pork is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a platter and keep warm, covered.
• Heat tortillas (in foil) on grill, turning once, until warmed through, about 3 minutes total.
• Remove pork, pineapple, and onion from skewers. Serve wrapped in tortillas with salsa and other accompaniments.

SPICY CUMIN KEBABS

Steps:

• You will need a charcoal or gas grill, 12 to 15 small bamboo or metal skewers, and a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
• Preheat grill. If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes. Remove excess fat from the meat. Cut lamb into small chunks, 1/2-inch across or less. Thread them onto skewers, without packing them too tightly together.
• Grind or pound together the cumin, cayenne, and black pepper to a blended powder. Using your hands, rub spice mixture onto the skewered meat. Grill lamb for 5 to 8 minutes over hot coals. Halfway through the cooking, sprinkle the kebabs with a little salt.

COCONUT-AND-LIME PORK KEBABS

Steps:

• Toss the pork with half of the coconut milk, the vegetable oil, garlic, 1/3 cup each brown sugar and cilantro, and 1 tablespoon each fish sauce, lime juice and Sriracha in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 4 hours.
• Preheat a grill to medium and lightly brush the grates with vegetable oil. Thread the pork onto eight 10-inch skewers. Grill the kebabs, turning occasionally and brushing with the remaining coconut milk, until marked and cooked through, about 12 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine 1 tablespoon water and the remaining 1 tablespoon each brown sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and Sriracha in a small bowl. Serve the kebabs in romaine leaves and drizzle with the sauce. Top with chopped peanuts, scallions, cucumber and cilantro.
• If you're using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 20 minutes to prevent scorching.

ROSEMARY PORK KEBABS WITH FENNEL AND FIGS

Steps:

• Preheat a grill to medium and brush the grates with vegetable oil. Combine the fennel seeds, 1 teaspoon salt, the red pepper flakes and bay leaves in a spice grinder and pulse until powdery. Toss with the pork, rosemary and garlic in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 4 hours.
• Thread the fennel, figs and pork onto eight 10-inch skewers; set aside. Mix the honey, olive oil and lemon juice in a small bowl. Grill the kebabs, turning occasionally, until marked and cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes, brushing with the honey mixture during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Drizzle with olive oil before serving.