Turkish Spiced Halibut Skewers With Yogurt Sauce Recipes

TURKISH-SPICED HALIBUT SKEWERS WITH YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut halibut into large chunks of equal size and thread onto skewers. You should have 4 kebabs weighing about 6 ounces each. Lay them in a shallow dish. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• In a mixing bowl, put cumin, coriander, paprika, red pepper flakes, onion, lemon, minced garlic and bay leaves. Add olive oil and stir together. Spoon mixture over fish skewers and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.
• Put yogurt in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, then add garlic paste, cayenne and cucumber. Mix mint, dill and parsley together, add half to yogurt mixture, and reserve the rest. Stir to combine. Set aside.
• Heat a grill or broiler. When it is hot, cook skewers for about 2 minutes per side, until just opaque. (Leave some lemon, onion and bay leaf clinging to fish, so they char a bit.) Transfer to a serving platter. Sprinkle with remaining herb mixture. Serve with yogurt sauce on the side.

TURKISH SPICED MEATBALLS WITH POMEGRANATE YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Make Sauce:
• Put yogurt in a paper towel-lined sieve set over a bowl and keep covered and chilled 8 to 12 hours.
• Boil pomegranate juice in a small heavy saucepan until syrupy and reduced to about 2 tablespoons, about 10 minutes. Keep warm off heat, covered.
• Make Meatballs:
• Soak whole slices of bread for 30 minutes in a mixing bowl filled with water, then fold and squeeze gently to remove as much water as possible.
• Pulse onion in a food processor until finely chopped, then add parsley and pulse again until finely chopped. Add lamb, bread (torn into pieces), allspice, red-pepper flakes, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and pulse, stopping and scraping down sides, until combined. (Do not overblend.)
• Roll level tablespoons of meat mixture into balls (about 42), arranging them on plates or on another sheet pan.
• Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Line a large, rimmed sheet pan with foil.
• Heat olive oil and vegetable oil together in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until oils shimmer (put one meatball in to test; it should sizzle). Brown meatballs all over in batches of 10 to 12, turning occasionally with a spoon or shaking skillet (lower heat if oil begins to smoke), about 2 minutes per batch. Transfer, as browned, to lined sheet pan.
• Once all meatballs are browned, transfer the sheet pan to the oven and bake until meatballs are cooked through (cut one open to look, or use an instant-read thermometer; it should register 160°F), 10 to 15 minutes. Drain briefly on paper towels.
• Spoon drained yogurt into a small serving bowl and drizzle with pomegranate syrup, then swirl it in briefly with a spoon. Sprinkle some pomegranate seeds over top. Spear each meatball with a toothpick and serve yogurt alongside for dipping.

SPICED TURKEY SKEWERS WITH CUMIN-LIME YOGURT

Steps:

• Soak 8 bamboo or wooden skewers in water for 10 to 30 minutes before you begin the recipe.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly brush the pitas with oil, place on a sheet pan under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes per side, then wrap in foil to keep warm.
• In a small serving bowl, stir together the yogurt, juice of 1/2 lime, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Scoop out 1/4 cup of the yogurt mixture and place in a large mixing bowl. Place the remaining yogurt in the refrigerator.
• Gently combine the turkey, remaining cumin, turmeric, grated onion and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in the bowl with the yogurt until most of it has a mustard-orange hue. Divide the meat into 8 similar-sized loose balls. Lightly wet your hands so the meat doesn't stick, then shape the meat around the skewers by placing the meat in one hand, pressing the skewer in the center, then using the fingertips and thumb of the bottom hand to shape the meat by lightly pressing it to create an oblong shape.
• Place the skewers in the center of a sheet pan and sprinkle the sliced onion on the outskirts. Use your hands to rub the onions and the outside of the skewers with oil, then season the onions with salt. Place the remaining 1/2 lime on the pan cut-side up, and roast until the outside of the meat is a darker mustard color and no longer pink inside, 11 to 14 minutes.
• Squeeze the lime juice on top of the turkey and slide the meat off the skewers. Place the pitas on a serving plate, spoon some of the reserved yogurt on them, then place the turkey and onion slices on top. Sprinkle all over with the sumac, if using, and serve with mint, cucumbers and the remaining yogurt.

TURKISH CHICKEN KEBABS

Steps:

• Whisk yogurt, lemon juice, olive oil, ketchup, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt, cumin, black pepper, paprika, and cinnamon together in a bowl.
• Place chicken thigh halves into the yogurt marinade and coat them thoroughly on all sides. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 to 8 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.
• Using 2 skewers for each kebab, thread half of the chicken thighs onto each pair of skewers making a fairly thick "log" shape.
• Place kebabs on grill. Do not try to turn them until they begin to unstick from the grill, 3 or 4 minutes. Turn kebabs and grill the other side 3 or 4 minutes; turn. Continue cooking and turning until chicken is no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 6 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

INDIAN-SPICED HALIBUT WITH YOGURT

Steps:

• Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice and water. Cut an X in bottom of each tomato; plunge into boiling water. Cook until skin starts to peel back, about 30 seconds. Plunge into the ice bath to stop the cooking. When cool, peel off and discard skin. Cut tomatoes in half; squeeze out seeds. Chop; set aside.
• In a food processor, combine curry powder, fenugreek, salt, mustard, cardamom, and cloves. Pulse to combine. Add garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and water. Puree until a smooth paste forms; set aside.
• Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in curry paste; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add onion and half the stock; cook until onion starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Add chile and remaining stock. Bring to boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer, add fish and tomatoes, and cook until fish is opaque in the center, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in yogurt just before serving.

INDIAN-SPICED HALIBUT WITH YOGURT

Steps:

• Bring a saucepan of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice and water. Cut an X in bottom of each tomato; plunge into the boiling water. Cook until the skin starts to peel back, about 30 seconds. Plunge into the ice bath to stop the cooking. When cool, peel off and discard the skins. Cut the tomatoes in half; squeeze out the seeds. Chop; set aside.
• In a food processor, pulse to combine the curry powder, fenugreek, salt, mustard, cardamom, and cloves. Add the garlic, ginger, brown sugar, and water. Puree until a smooth paste forms; set aside.
• Heat the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the curry paste; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the onion and half the stock; cook until the onion starts to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the chile and remaining stock. Bring to boil. Reduce to a gentle simmer, add the fish and tomatoes, and cook until the fish is opaque in the center, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the yogurt just before serving.
• Curry Powder
• Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the coriander and cumin. Toast the seeds, tossing constantly, until fragrant. Transfer to a spice grinder. Add the cayenne, turmeric, and cinnamon. Pulse to combine. Use immediately.
• FIT TO EAT RECIPE
• (Per serving)
• Calories: 234
• Fat: 6g
• Cholesterol: 44mg
• Carbohydrate: 16g
• Sodium: 595mg
• Protein: 27g
• Fiber: 2g

LAMB SKEWERS WITH SPICY YOGURT DRESSING

Steps:

• The day before serving, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over low heat. Add the onions and cook slowly until translucent, about 30 minutes. Drain any excess oil.
• Break the ground lamb up into a bowl. Add the onions, scallions, garlic, mint, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to serve, soak 16 six-inch wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. (This helps prevent the skewers from burning on the grill.) Preheat a grill (high heat).
• Divide the lamb mixture into 16 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a 1-inch diameter log, approximately 3-inches long. Thread each piece lengthwise onto a skewer.
• Grill lamb to medium rare, turning once, about 5 minutes. Serve with Spicy Yogurt Dressing.
• To make the dressing: Mix the yogurt, cayenne, and mint in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature with the lamb skewers.

YOGURT BAKED HALIBUT

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Lightly coat an 8x8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Rinse halibut filets and pat dry.
• Place fish in a single layer in the baking dish.
• Mix together yogurt, onion, lemon pepper, parsley and salt; pour over fish filets.
• Drizzle filets with lemon juice.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until fish is firm and can be flaked with a fork.