Real Food Summer 2019

Mediterranean Herb Paste with Grilled Chicken
and Summer Vegetable Kebabs
MAKES 4 SERVINGS
Rosemary is the key herb in this adaptable herb paste that also features other herbs from the
Mediterranean. Its Latin name, Rosmarinus translates to “dew of the sea,” an apt term for this
heat- and sun-loving herb. Rosemary is pungent and spicy, with hints of nutmeg, pine and
camphor, so start sparingly and add more gradually as you gauge how much is enough for you.
Science has proved rosemary to be a powerful antioxidant, which may protect us from
toxins around us.
For the Mediterranean Paste
¼ cup chopped fresh rosemary
¼ cup chopped fresh sage
10 cloves garlic
½ cup fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken
breasts, cut into 1½-inch cubes
1 onion, cut into quarters
1 red pepper, cut in half, each half
quartered
1 medium zucchini, cut into 8 chunks
8 long, metal skewers, lightly oiled
extra virgin olive oil
1. For the Mediterranean paste, combine rosemary, sage and garlic in a food processor.
Pulse for 30 seconds or until garlic is coarsely chopped. Add thyme, mustard, salt and
vinegar. With the motor running, slowly add enough oil through the opening in the lid until
a soft, paste-like consistency is achieved.
2. For the kebabs: Heat one side of a gas or charcoal grill to produce a medium-hot fire.
Divide the chicken cubes into 4 portions and thread each portion onto a skewer. Rub paste
over chicken cubes. Thread vegetables onto remaining skewers in this order for each skewer:
red pepper, onion, zucchini, red pepper, zucchini. Drizzle each with oil.
3. Place chicken skewers on the heat. Cover the grill and sear for 1 to 2 minutes or until
browned. Flip the skewer and sear the opposite side for 1 to 2 minutes, or until browned.
Add vegetables to the heat and grill for 1 to 2 minutes. Move chicken and vegetable kebabs
to the unlit side of the grill. Cover and cook for about 15 to 25 minutes or until chicken juices
run clear when pierced with the point of a knife. Note: Vegetables may be cooked before
chicken, so remove them as soon as they are done.
4. In the meantime, scrape remaining Mediterranean paste into a large bowl. Remove
cooked vegetables from skewers by running a knife along the skewer, letting vegetables
drop into the bowl. Remove chicken from skewers into the bowl and toss to coat well. Serve
over greens or cooked rice.
Cook’s Notes:
• Like the pesto, this paste can be made with a high-speed blender, but you may need to
stop and scrape the sides of the jug and clear the underside of the blades often.
• You can keep the kebabs intact instead of removing to a bowl. Serve kebabs over greens
or cooked rice and pass the Mediterranean Paste separately.
• This paste goes well with any form of lamb—shanks, chops, roasted leg. Rub it over the
meat before cooking, and pass the remaining paste separately at the table.
MORE WITH ROSEMARY
— Save sturdy rosemary stems
that have been stripped of
their leaves and try threading
peach or plum halves on them.
Broil in the oven or grill on
the barbecue.
— Add chopped, fresh rosemary
to canned tomato sauce.
— Stir 1 tablespoon chopped
fresh rosemary into potatoes
and other root vegetables
before roasting.
— Combine 1 tablespoon chopped
fresh rosemary with ¼ cup liquid
honey and brush over chicken
or fish, or toss with vegetables
for the barbecue.
— Use fresh rosemary sprigs in
marinades for lamb, chicken
or beef.
— For a smoky, subtle flavor, try
lining the grill with dampened
rosemary sprigs before
grilling chicken.
— Adding 1 tablespoon of finely
chopped fresh rosemary to the
ingredients gives a pleasantly
peppery taste to shortbread
or butter cookies.
GETTING TO KNOW HERBS One of the best ways to really get to know and experience individual herbs is to explore
them through your senses. Look closely at the glossy, puckered, apple-green leaves of basil–how are they different
from dill leaves? Run your fingers over the spiky, needle-like leaves of rosemary and breathe in its camphor fragrance
with hints of citrus, pine and nutmeg. Nip off the end of a mint leaf and let it sit on the end of your tongue before biting
into it to determine if it is hot and spicy or bursting with a cool, refreshing menthol flavor. Do the same with cilantro–
would you substitute it for mint in the Tabbouleh recipe?
36 real food summer 2019