Souviakia comes from the Greek word, souvla, meaning spit or skewer. These kabobs are very popular in Greece and are ideal for grilling. Serve with rice or pilaf and a salad.
These are great either right off the grill or at room temperature – which makes them the perfect dish to pack up and take to the park on a hot summer night. The preserved lemon is a surprisingly good compliment to the beef tenderloin.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds beef tenderloin, trimmed and cubed into 16 pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced large
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced large
- 4 preserved lemons, halved, see note*
- 1 red onion, diced large
- 2 T chopped Italian parsley leaves
- 1 T chopped garlic
- 2 t dried oregano
- 2 t onion powder
- 1 t curry powder
- 1 t ground cinnamon
- 1 T kosher salt
- 2 t freshly ground black pepper
- 1 C olive oil
- 8 (10-inch) wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
- Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce, recipe follows
Directions
Thread the vegetables onto skewers. Thread the beef separated by onion slices. Set all of the kabobs into a roasting pan in one layer and set aside.
Place the remaining ingredients in a medium sized bowl and whisk until well incorporated. Pour the mixture over the beef kabobs and refrigerate 1 hour.
Preheat an outdoor charcoal or gas grill to high heat. Place the kabobs on the grill and cook 3 minutes per side. Remove and serve immediately or let cool, pack ’em up and take them on a picnic.
Serve with Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce.
*Cook’s Note: Preserved lemons are so easy to make and can be used in a variety of recipes. They last about a year in the fridge. Here is a link to a recipe we use.
http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_preserved_lemons/
Cucumber-Yogurt Sauce:
- 1 cup plain yogurt
- 1/2 cucumber, seeded and diced
- 1 T diced onion
- 1 lemon, zested
- Chopped fresh mint
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse several times to make a chunky sauce.
