Dish | Kebabs with Cilantro-Lime Marinade

We had a BBQ at the house the other night. It was a great bunch of friends, a whole lot of wine, and way too many kebabs! Those who came early got a taste of the sirloin kebabs which I unfortunately did not photograph. I also made my new favorite dish of the summer... Roasted Corn with Manchego & Lime. It's so ridiculously delicious and really complimented the marinade I used on the kebabs. It was an all around success considering we used a propane camping grill on the back deck of our 3rd story flat with little to no light and a good 10 people to feed.

CILANTRO-LIME MARINADE

2/3 cup lime juice, from about 6 limes
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
8 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons ginger
1 tablespoon dried red pepper flakes

1  |  Whisk all ingredients in a medium bowl.

KEBABS  |  Recipe inspired by Bon Appétit August 2005

2 pounds chicken, cut into  1 1/2-inch cubes
2 pounds sirloin steak, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
6 plum tomatoes, quartered
2 large peaches with skin, halved, pitted, quartered and cut into 8 sections
24 pearl onions, peeled
2 large red bell peppers, seeded, cut into squares
24 cremini (brown) mushrooms
2 medium zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch rounds

1  |  Place chicken and steak in separate medium glass bowls. Add 3/4 cup marinade to each and toss until coated. Chill for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.You can use left over marinade for basting.

2  |  Alternate chicken cubes, tomato halves, peach wedges, and pearl onions on skewers. Alternate steak cubes, bell pepper squares, mushrooms, and zucchini rounds on skewers.

3  |  Prepare barbecue and set at medium-high heat. Grill kebabs until slightly charred and cooked as desired, turning occasionally and basting with remaining marinade, about 8 minutes for chicken and 10 minutes for steak. Transfer kebabs to platter. 

Dish | Zucchini, Spinach & Leek Frittata with Smoked Gouda

Sara Morris at Sprouted Kitchen (one of my absolute favorite food blogs) has inspired me many times in the past and this time it's breakfast, something I haven't done yet on Design & Dishes. Ryan and I aren't big breakfast eaters so when I saw her recipe for a vegetable-filled egg white Frittata I was excited to give it a try. After all, I have never made a Frittata until now and I like the idea that you learn something new every day. This was a delight to make and incredibly tasty!

ZUCCHINI, SPINACH & LEEK FRITTATA WITH SMOKED GOUDA  |  Recipe inspired by Sara Morris at Sprouted Kitchen

2 whole eggs
10 egg whites
1/3 cup milk
2 leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
2 zucchini, trimmed and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup chopped spinach
3/4 cup grated smoked gouda
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 roma tomato sliced (the original recipe calls for baby heirloom tomatoes)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1  |  Preheat oven to 500°F. Warm the butter in a saucepan on medium heat, add the sliced leeks and zucchini and sauté about 6 minutes.

2  |  In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, egg whites, hot sauce and milk. Whisk about 4 minutes. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper.

3  |  Distribute the leeks in the pan, as this will be your frittata base. Over medium heat, pour the egg mixture on top. Scatter in the chopped spinach and the shredded cheese and allow the mix to sit for a minute. Use a spatula to lift up the sides.

4  |  As it starts to firm up, lay your tomatoes on the top. Put the entire pan into the oven on the top rack. Let it bake for about 8 minutes and check. It should be set, but still have a little give when you push on the middle. Remove and let it cool a bit before serving.

And just because it's too cute, here's a picture of Ryan eating it...