Summer Herb Spiedies
By Amy Maltzan
The spiedie (pronounced “speedy”), originally hailing from Binghamton, traditionally used lamb, lemon, garlic and mint as its primary ingredients. Nowadays versions abound to satisfy every taste; this spin on a spiedie celebrates the abundant summer herbs available. A lengthy marinade makes the meat juicy, tender and ultra-flavorful.
Serves 6-8
1 cup olive oil
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup white wine
¼ cup fresh mint, chopped
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh oregano, chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
Plenty of salt and pepper to taste
3 pounds meat (such as chicken, pork, or beef) cut into 1-inch cubes
Split Italian bread or a French baguette, cut in 6-8 pieces and halve.
Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, wine, herbs and garlic in large bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper. Reserve ½ cup marinade; cover and refrigerate.
Transfer remaining marinade to a zip-top bag and add the cubes of meat. Squeeze excess air out of bag and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, turning meat occasionally.
Preheat grill to medium. Remove meat from marinade with slotted spoon, reserving the used marinade fro basting. Thread metal skewers with cubes of meat. Grill skewers until meat is cooked through, basting occasionally with used marinade.
To serve, tuck a skewer of meat into a split piece of Italian bread of baguette. Spoon a little of the unused, reserved marinade over the top. Use the bread as an “oven mitt” to slide the meat off the skewer.
This recipe originally appeared in our Spring 2010 issue.
