Jerk Kebabs

Jerk Kebabs

Recipe courtesy of Beth Ginsberg

Number of servings: 8
Prep time: 30 minutes (plus marinating time)
Cook time: 10 minutes

Safety Note: Habanero peppers are extremely hot. Be careful when handling them not to touch your eyes or other sensitive areas.

Ingredients:

Jerk Marinade

• ¾ cup fresh lime juice
• ½ cup fresh orange juice
• 1-2 habanero or other very hot peppers or 2-3 Tbsp hot chili sauce
• 2 Tbsp low-sodium tamari soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp orange marmalade
• 3 green onions, trimmed and roughly chopped
• 2 shallots, roughly chopped
• 1 ½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 ½ Tbsp dried basil
• 1 ½ tsp tomato paste
• 1 ½ tsp mustard seed or dried mustard
• 2 tsp grated orange zest
• 1 tsp grated lime zest
• ½ tsp cracked black pepper
• 1/8 tsp sea salt

Kebabs

• 1 pound tempeh, cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
• 1 chayote squash or zucchini, cubed
• 1 large sweet potato, cubed and cooked in boiling water until just tender

Directions:

To make jerk marinade

1. Combine marinade ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.

To assemble kebabs

2. Pour half of the marinade into a bowl, add tempeh squares, and toss to coat. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours – the longer you leave the tempeh in the marinade, the more flavor it will absorb.
3. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 15 minutes (while tempeh is marinating).
4. Light an outdoor grill. Thread tempeh and vegetables onto 8 skewers, alternating colors. Brush kebabs with the remaining marinade.
5. Grill kebabs over a medium-low fire, turning 2 or 3 times, until vegetables are cooked through, about 10 minutes. (If you prefer, kebabs may be roasted in a 350^o oven for 25 minutes.)

Note: Tempeh is made from fermented soybeans and has a firmer texture than tofu. It’s available in the refrigerated section of health food stores and at most grocery stores.