Agave Citrus Kebab Medley

This dish is a great way to keep your summer meals fun, delicious, and light; all in one.  This is a slight deviation from our usual fare, as it's not wholly a freezer meal; however, the make-ahead process works several days in advance, so you can prepare the whole meal the weekend before a camping or boat trip!

These kebabs also make a great make-ahead "hybrid" meal.  That is, you can prepare the meats several weeks ahead of time to freeze, and then hit the farmer's market the morning of your grill to get the fresh, sweet local fare that only that local produce can provide.

Ingredients

Skewers (approximately 20)
1 lemon

1 lime

1 orange

1 tsp grated fresh ginger

Cayenne pepper to taste

1/2 cup light agave nectar

1/2 pound chicken breast

1/2 pound beef (such as New York cut)

1/2 pound pork loin

8 scallops

1 onion
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 yellow pepper
1 orange pepper
1 pineapple

Make-Ahead Preparation

• If using bamboo skewers, soak in water for at least 30 minutes.  Skewers can be frozen in water so that they'll be pre-soaked to speed up later preparation.
• Juice the lemon, lime, and orange.  Combine in bowl and add ginger, cayenne pepper, and agave nectar.  Whisk together until mixed well.
• Cut meats (excluding scallops) into cubes, approximately 1.5" pieces.
• Tip:  If cooking for young kids, I'll often make the pieces slightly smaller, approximately 1-inch, as they have an easier time eating it.  However, the smaller chunks can be more difficult to cook without drying out, so bigger chunks are preferred.
• Combine meats, scallops, and half of juice mixture in a gallon-sized freezer bag.  Marinate in the refrigerator for at least two hours, or place in freezer.  Remaining juice mixture can also be frozen.
• Cut onion, peppers, and pineapple into chunks, approximately 1.5" pieces (or smaller, for small kids).  Store veggies in refrigerator in a vented container or bag up to one week, or until they begin to wilt.  Pineapple can be stored separately in the refrigerator for a few days, or frozen for up to six months.

To Serve

• Thaw skewers, meats, remaining juice mixture, and pineapple, if frozen.
• Pre-heat grill over medium-high heat.  Spray with non-stick grill spray.  (Note: standard non-stick sprays, such as Pam, won't work on a grill.)
• Arrange onion, pepper, pineapple, and meat chunks, as well as scallops, on skewers.  Place at least one veggie and/or pineapple piece between each piece of meat.
• Tip:  It's okay to combine different kinds of meats on each skewer, as their cook times are similar.
• Place on grill over medium-high heat.  Using a basting brush, brush on juice mixture.
• Turn skewers every few minutes, and brush on additional juice mixture.  The juice should begin to form a glaze on the skewers; if not, you may need to turn up the heat.
• Continue turning and glazing until cooked through.

These kebabs are great when served over Southwest Quinoa, which we'll be posting soon.  All in all, this meal is light and simple, yet worthy of a special outdoor occasion!