Chicken and Filet Kebabs with Couscous

The original recipe that I have adapted for this meal can be found in The Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten on page 99.  What is highlighted in red is what I have changed from the original recipe!

For the kebabs (serves 4-6)

• 1 pound-filet mignon
• 1 package-chicken breasts
• 1 tablespoon-minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1 tablespoon-minced fresh thyme leaves
• ¼ cup-dry red wine
• 2 to 3 small-red onions
• 2 pints-cherry tomatoes
• Good olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Procedure:

• Cut chicken and filet into 1½-inch cubes (approximately 20 cubes).
• Mince the garlic, rosemary, and thyme (note: place garlic in small bowl of oil to keep moist)
• Combine the garlic, rosemary, thyme, ¼ cup olive oil, red wine, vinegar, and 1-teaspoon salt in a medium-sized Ziploc bag.
• Add the cubes of chicken and filet into the bag, and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days.  Toss occasionally.
• Heat a grill with coals.  Spread them out in one dense layer and brush the grill with oil.
• Cut the red onions into quarters and separate each quarter into 3 or 4 sections.  Loosely thread 3 to 4 pieces of meat onto metal skewers alternately with sections of onion.
• Sprinkle both sides of the assembled skewers with salt and pepper.
• Place the cherry tomatoes on skewers, threading them through the stems of the tomatoes. Brush the tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Place the filet and chicken skewers on the hot grill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times, until the meat is medium rare.
• Approximately 5 minutes before the meat skewers are done (filet cooks faster than chicken), place the tomatoes skewers on the grill, turning once, until seared on the outside but still firm on the inside.
• Serve the skewers on a mound of couscous.

   

For the couscous with pine nuts (serves 4-6)

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick)-unsalted butter
• ¾ cup (3 to 4 shallots)-chopped shallots
• 3 cups-chicken stock
• ½ teaspoon-kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon-freshly ground black pepper
• 1½ cups-couscous
• ½ cup-toasted pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons-chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Procedure:

• Melt the butter in a large saucepan.
• Chop the shallots and then cook them over medium-low heat for 3 minutes, until translucent.
• Add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil.
• Turn off the heat.
• Stir in the couscous, cover the pan, and set aside for 10 minutes (couscous cooks itself how awesome is that?!).
• While couscous is cooking toast the pine nuts-put them in a dry sauté pan over medium heat, tossing often, for 5-10 minutes, until lightly browned.
• Add the pine nuts and parsley and fluff with a fork to combine.
• Serve hot.

The only part of the couscous recipe that I altered was that I did not include the dried currants that the original recipe called for because my Mom is allergic to raisins.  The finished kebabs were tender and delicious paired with the grilled onions and cherry tomatoes.  Served alongside fluffy couscous these kebabs were a perfect way to say thank you to my mom on Mothers Day and kick start my blog!