For those who like their summer dishes to be served with the
comforts of home, a dash of simplicity, and a little flair for the creative,
try your hand at a seasonal favorite with some twists: something on a stick.
The classic kebab usually consists of a cube of red meat
layered with chunks of summer veggies, and they are quite tasty right off the
grill. But you can also branch out to
serving other foods on a stick, which offer a neat presentation, portion
control, and easy quantity planning.
Kebabs, skewers, or food sticks or picks – whatever you call them, they
come in long and short lengths, and some are a little dressier with decorative
accents on the not-sharp end. You can
find options at your local party store, grocery store, and online. So what can you spear?
To serve a little Italian bite without the oven heating up
your kitchen, try layering thin folded slices of pepperoni and genoa salami
with a cherry tomato, a mini ball of mozzarella cheese, and sprig of basil for
“pizza” on a short food stick. For a
Mediterranean take, use grape tomatoes, feta cheese, olives, and cucumber
wedges.
Make cheeseburger kebabs with squares of toasted bread, a
cube of cooked hamburger patty, some tomato, a folded spinach leaf, and a cube
of cheese. Layer a short stack of torn
pieces of butter lettuce with cherry tomatoes and strips of bacon cut down to
size for a BLT or any other sandwich variety with layered breads, pitas, or
wraps with your choice of meats, cheeses, and veggies.
Fruit kebabs are a healthy side for any summer plate. Use cubes and wedges of berries and melons to
make colorful, sweet desserts. Layer
sections of banana with a smear of peanut butter, a wedge of sliced bread, and
a little jelly. Make a “strawberry
shortcake” stick with layers of angel food cake cubes, fresh strawberries, and
frozen dollops of whipped topping. Leave
them on a parchment lined baking sheet in the freezer until you’re ready to
serve. Serve a “slice” of cake by cubing
cake pieces and spreading a layer of icing between each piece. Top it off with a little scoop of icing with
sprinkles or nut pieces.
When you choose foods that are already great (or famous)
together that are not going to crumble or fall apart, you have the makings of
some pretty tasty layers for something on a stick that will continue to please,
bite after delicious summer bite. No
forks required.
DesignInMind column; appeared in the Valley Morning Star July 13th.
