It is true. I married into a wonderful family. A wonderful and foodie family. Lucky me. Lucky, lucky me.
Now, the food I was accustomed to eating as a child, you know, the best Italian food any kitchen has to offer because it comes from Italian grandmothers is not what we eat at my in-laws…nope. What we sit down to is the best Lebanese food any kitchen has to offer because it comes from a Lebanese grandmother. A charming grandmother named Mona who my kids so lovingly call Sito! (Mona is sitting on the ground, in the white pants, just a little left of center. And, I don’t know…is her shirt glowing? I swear to you, I didn’t do that…She’s magic, I tell ya! Yes – this is a foreshadow!)
Oh boy, the stories I could share about my dining experiences with my hubby’s family! They could fill the Mediterranean!
One of my first foodie recollections staged in Dominick’s childhood home is one for the record books. Picture this, it’s a chilly evening, we’re all relaxing on the couch watching a little TV, probably Solid Gold or The Love Boat, when all of a sudden, around 10:00 pm, a small city of people come crashing through the front door looking for some family time. (Yes, the picture above about covers it!) Anyway, no sooner did everyone have their shoes off but Mona’s table was magically set and ready to feed this very spirited crowd! I had never seen anything like it! I mean it’s 10:00 PM, people! I had no idea where all that food came from or where she was hiding it, but there it was! It was a feast I tell you! A feast! And to see her family enjoy and compliment her food as if it were the first time they had ever tasted it was also a very special sight to behold.
Now, Mona will tell you that what she has produced in her kitchen is hundreds (maybe even thousands) of pounds of hummus, tabouli, baba ghanoush, kibbee, grapeleaves, leban, baklava, shish kabob…you get the picture, but what I can tell you is that what she has dished up in her kitchen all these years can actually be summed up in one word…
Love.
And isn’t that what it’s all about? Thank you, Sito!
How about I share a recipe from the first meal I had at Mona’s…Did you notice how I said “a recipe”? If I said “the recipes” from the first meal, we’d all be settling in with a second pot of coffee…I promise to share more Middle Eastern fun in future posts!
Shish Kabob (جرب كباب شيش) with Garlic Sauce (صلصة الثوم)
Let’s begin with the Garlic Sauce since that needs time to marinate…
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Garlic Sauce – صلصة الثوم
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients
- 5–6 cloves of garlic
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- Dash of cayenne
- 3–4 large basil leaves, chopped
Instructions
- Smash garlic using a mortar & pestle. (You can also use a blender or food processor.)
- Add all ingredients together in a bowl.
- Let marinate at room temperature until dinner is ready.
I love the lemon! It just brightens up the sauce and anything you serve with it! Lamb, chicken, beef, fresh vegetables, pita…
I think everyone will love this…but it does help to like garlic.
Liquid Gold!
Now for the main attraction! Shish Kabob…
- 2 lbs. meat, lamb or beef
- 2 large onions, white or red, quartered
- 3 large peppers, red and green, cut into 1 inch squares
- 12-24 cherry tomatoes
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- Cut meat into 1 inch cubes.
- Marinate meat in ¼ cup olive oil and a little cracked black pepper.
- Alternate meat, onions, peppers and cherry tomatoes on the skewers.
- Sprinkle with salt & pepper.
- Cook over charcoal or on a gas grill.
Have you noticed that many of the foods I like to cook are the colors of the Italian and Lebanese flags…I swear I don’t plan it! It just works out that way!
It is really awesome when the kids and their friends offer to help! I only have one requirement – the color of their clothes must compliment the colors of the food! Just kidding!!!
We used bamboo skewers. You’re probably familiar with the controversy regarding wooden skewers…to soak or not to soak…that is the question…well, I can tell you, we did not soak – and they worked just beautifully.
We served the shish kabob with a side of sliced grilled potatoes….
We brushed the potatoes with a little olive oil and sprinkled with kosher salt & cracked black pepper then cooked until both sides had grill marks. Delicious…
Pretty, right? Tastes even better!
Okay – now I can say it…when I began working on this post, I was really under a lot of pressure to, you know, measure up…our boy, Nick, doesn’t generally like lamb – he will only eat his Sito’s…however…I am very happy to report that according to Nick, his buddy Dave, and, yes, even Dominick… mine was… a close 2nd! YES!!!! I’ll take it!!!
Don’t forget to add your garlic sauce!
Salute!
Nice post. I learn something totally new and challenging on blogs I stumbleupon
on a daily basis. It’s always interesting to read through articles from other authors and use something from their web sites.
Thank you Ann, From one GREAT cook to another. LOVE is always the first ingredient! Your blog is amazing just like you, daughter in law! LOVE SITO
Thank you so very much! I learned from the BEST! Love you!!!!
Amazing food pictures! I want to come and have that meal at your home…right now. The colors of your photos are beautiful! 🙂
Thank you!! Come over! I’m firing up the grill as we speak!