Family Table: Summertime Sizzle

Take Dinner Outside with this Customizable Kabob Recipe

By Cristen Clark

Grilling is a glorious way to cook during the hot, steamy summer months in Iowa. Heading outside feels like a special cooking occasion that gives me the excuse to take in the scenery and cool down the kitchen.

At our house, a classic Iowa Porterhouse pork chop on the grill simply can’t be beat. But throughout the summer, I like to mix up my grilling fare. One of my favorite ways to add variety is with kabobs. They’re popular in our house because they are make-ahead friendly and can include many of the fresh veggies and proteins raised right here in Iowa.

Inspired by the flavors of a comforting pesto pasta dish my kids adore, I developed a simple recipe for Pesto Pork & Veggie Kabobs. It’s satisfying and fuels everyone for summer days and evenings of baseball, farm pond swimming and 4-H chores.

The simple seasoning and final brushing of basil pesto makes a fresh, delicious dinner option the entire family will enjoy.

While the concept of kabobs is simple, it can get a little tricky to cook to perfection. Some of my favorite kabob tips and tricks are quick and easy.

Use disposable skewers. My favorite type of disposable skewer is made of bamboo. The trick is to soak them in water for 30 minutes before threading the ingredients to prevent the skewers from burning or breaking during grilling.

Par-cook and pair ingredients. If you’re using ingredients with highly differing cook times, try parcooking (partially cooking) slower cooking ingredients like corn on the cob or raw chunks of potato. You can also thread individual skewers with the same ingredients so they will all cook perfectly together and can be removed at the proper time.

Try zone grilling. I always use twozone grilling with direct (burners on) and indirect (burners off) heat to prevent the tips of vegetables or fruits from becoming too charred. It works great to place the kabobs over direct heat for initial grilling, and then allow them to finish cooking over indirect heat.

Many recipes encourage the use of leftover marinade for basting at the end of grilling. This can create some food safety concerns if you’re using marinade that originally covered raw meat. Instead, set aside a portion of the marinade mix at the beginning and use it to cover the meat.

Cristen Clark is a pig farmer, creator of the Food & Swine blog and award-winning baker and cook. She lives on a farm near Runnells with her husband Mike and children Halle and Barrett.

Pesto Pork & Veggie Kabobs

Pesto Pork & Veggie Kabobs

Makes 12

INGREDIENTS

3-4 pounds boneless pork loin, cut into 2-inch cubes

16 ounces cremini or white button mushrooms, washed and dried

1 large red onion, quartered

2 bell peppers (yellow and red), cut into 1½-inch square pieces

2 small zucchinis, cut into ½-inch coins

1½ teaspoons seasoned salt½ teaspoon ground black pepper½ cup Italian dressing

1/3 cup basil pesto

12 large skewers

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Thread 12 wooden or metal skewers with pork loin, mushrooms, red onion pieces, bell pepper pieces and zucchini coins (if using wooden skewers, soak in water for 30 minutes prior to threading with ingredients). Sprinkle evenly with seasoned salt and black pepper.

Brush on Italian dressing. Grill over medium-high heat, 4-5 minutes on one side, then flip and grill for an additional 4-5 minutes. To test kabobs for doneness, use a digital instant read thermometer to check the thickest part of the pork without touching the skewer. Once the pork has reached 145 degrees F, remove kabobs from heat and rest for 3 minutes. Brush with basil pesto and serve warm.

243 calories, 7.8 carbohydrates, 13 g fat, 1.1g saturated fat, 31g protein, 0.7g fiber, 31g sodium

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