WAH Day – Chicken Kebabs with Cilantro Sauce

Chicken Kebabs (patty-style)

1 lb. ground chicken or beef

¼ cup chopped onion

1 jalapeno, finely chopped

1 tsp. dried mint

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ tsp. salt

Preheat broiler. Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Form mixture into 4 hamburger-sized patties. Broil patties for 12 to 14 minutes. Serve the patties with the sauce below.

Spicy Cilantro Sauce – can be eaten with fish or chicken (I think that this recipe comes from FOOD & WINE magazine)

½ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves

½ cup fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves

2 shallots, chopped

1 large garlic clove, chopped

2 tsp grated fresh gingerroot

½ tsp cumin seeds

¼ tsp dried hot red pepper flakes

¼ cup plus 1 T water

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 T soy sauce

2 T fresh lemon juice

1. Have ready a bowl of ice water. In a small saucepan of boiling water blanch cilantro and parsley 10 seconds and drain in a sieve. Refresh herbs in ice water and drain in sieve. (I omitted this step because, really, who has the time?).


2. In a small nonstick skillet, cook shallots, garlic, ginger, cumin, and red pepper flakes in 1 T water and oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until shallots are softened.


3. In a blender, puree shallot mixture, herbs, remaining ¼ cup water, and soy sauce until smooth, about 1 minute, and season with salt and pepper.


4. Bring sauce to room temp before serving. THIS IS KEY!


5. Just before serving, stir in lemon juice.

Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

*Did she not think that I could see her eyeing the bowl?