Moscow Food Co-op Recipes

Shish Kebabs – a better use for swords

by Jen Hirt, from the September 2003 newsletter

In terms of presentation, there’s nothing quite like shish kebabs, with their wedges and rounds of fresh vegetables stacked like a totem pole. But where does such an oddly named dish originate? A 1950s Good Housekeeping magazine indicated that the dish got its name from Muslims skewering meat on their swords then using the swords as roasting sticks over campfires. Shish refers to the sword, and kebab in its simplest form means chunk, and I don’t know why Good Housekeeping narrowed it down to a Muslim tendency, since it seems like skewering food is a fine way to roast it. The sword is no longer needed, and shish kebabs remain versatile and popular.

My vegan version has a tangy marinade rich with traces of wine, tarragon, and shallots. The marinade is mainly for the tofu and mushrooms, both of which soak up and heighten the essence of red wine and two vinegars.

You will need 12 kebab skewers and a few plastic bags for marinating. Wooden skewers ought to be pre-soaked in water so they don’t burst into flames. Sturdy freezer bags work well for the marinade, but so does a double set of produce bags secured with a twist tie. I save my produce bags solely for marinating purposes. You will also need to plan ahead five hours, so the soon-to-be-skewered items have a chance to marinate.

Things to kebab

16 oz. firm tofu
1 1/2 lbs. mix of summer squash and zucchini
12 large button mushrooms, or 8 oz. mixed-size mushrooms
One large onion

Marinade

1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup vermouth
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
4 shallots, minced
1 tsp. dried tarragon (or 1 tbsp. fresh, chopped)
1 tsp. salt
Black pepper to taste

First, cut the tofu into half-oz. cubes, ending up with 30-40 cubes. Tofu is best if pressed first to remove the bland tofu water. Place the cubes on a flat surface, sandwiched by absorbent paper towels. Set something heavy (a saucepan, a couple of cookbooks) on top. In thirty minutes, the towels will be wet and the tofu will be ready to absorb the tasty marinade.

As the tofu gets pressed, slice the squash and zucchini into rounds, or if large, into triangular wedges. Rinse the mushrooms if necessary. Do not slice them. Quarter the onion and separate the layers. Put all the vegetables into a marinade bag.

Mix the marinade by pouring all its ingredients into a large measuring cup. Stir well. You should have about one cup of marinade.

Transfer the tofu cubes to a marinade bag. Pour 1/3 cup of marinade over the tofu. Seal the bag and tumble the tofu around until it’s all coated. Pour the remaining marinade over the vegetables in their own marinade bag. Turn gently to coat everything. Refrigerate both bags for at least four hours. Turn them a couple times.

For chewier tofu, take this optional step before skewering: After four hours of marinating, place the tofu cubes on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, turning once.

For softer tofu, don’t pre-bake it.

After marinating, the skewering can begin. Figure 3-4 cubes of tofu per shish kebab. Skewer the onions, squash and zucchini through the middle, and the mushrooms lengthwise, right through the cap and stem. (This is easier with larger mushrooms.) Mushrooms in the middle of the kebab will stay moister. Alternate items – their juices will blend nicely.

Grill the kebabs for 15 minutes over medium-high heat, turning often. Or, for the grill-deprived among us, broil the kebabs on a cookie sheet for 25 minutes, about 4 inches from the heat. Juices will pool on the cookie sheet, so drain it when you turn the kebabs halfway through.

Serve with a little bowl of your favorite salad dressing or vegetable dip. Makes 12 kebabs.

Jen Hirt is an MFA student in creative writing at the University of Idaho. She's working on a collection of essays about greenhouses.

Copyright: Copyright on articles, recipes, and images are jointly held by the Moscow Food Co-op and the respective authors, except were otherwise noted.

Return to Resource List

For additions or corrections to this page, please contact the Webmaster.