This recipe is made on the special request of our ardent member Ms. Meena Noronha. Meena, although I made it during the weekend, I was unable to post as I was busy with other commitments. Apologize.
Many years ago, I had viewed a similar version on a Food Network, “Barefoot Contessa in the Kitchen” and I adapted it a bit to suit our taste and ever since it has found a place in my special cook-book. Am pleased to share it with our readers.
The meat needs to be marinated and placed on skewers along with vegetables cooked on a grill, however if you do not have a grill you can put it in a big roasting tray and keep in an oven till it is cooked. Stirring it every now and then helps to keep the meat tender and moist.
Basting the skewers with the marinade at regular intervals while grilling will produce succulent results.
Recipe (Serves 6-8)
Lamb or Beef (1 Kg) – cut into small cubes
5 large tomatoes- chopped into chunks similar size as the meat cubes
5 green peppers/capcicums –chopped into chunks similar size as the meat cubes
5 onions – chopped into chunks similar size as the meat cubes
1 tin of mushrooms (if large –cut each mushroom into 2)
3/4 cup olive oil
1.5 cups red wine (I used Wincarnis ginger wine)
1” ginger – chopped fine/or ground
6 garlic cloves – chopped fine/or ground
2 tablespoons oregano
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 teaspoon of freshly ground pepper powder
Stew powder (1 teaspoon) {or use ½ teaspoon pepper, ¼ turmeric and ¼ coriander)
Worcestershire sauce -1/2 cup
Salt to taste
(If you need it spicier – increase the pepper or add cut green chillies to the marinade)
Wash the meat and pierce with a fork all over or beat with mallet {this is important to ensure that the meat is not tough). In a large glass bowl, add olive oil, wine, ginger, garlic, oregano, lemon juice, pepper powder, stew powder, Worcestershire sauce and salt.
Add the meat cubes and mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate overnight or at least 8 hours. This is necessary so that the meat is tenderized and will cook soon on the grill.
Soak the wooden skewers in a pan of water for 30 minutes…to ensure that they do not burn when grilling. When ready to grill, cut the onions, peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms. Add to the marinated meat and mix. Thread the skewers starting with a meat and ending with meat preferably (layer like this – meat, tomato, meat, pepper, meat, onion, meat, mushroom, meat – repeat twice on one skewer).
Grill the skewers, basting every five minutes with the left-over marinade, till it is done. Serve hot.
I made 2 batches on skewers in the Grill Mode in my convection oven, basting frequently; and the remaining put in a roasting tray and baked for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Enjoy.
