So I’ve been playing with spices and sprucing things up a little, as I’ve never much been into heavy spices in recipes, and I think that this recipe works out nicely- Not blazing and indiscriminately hot, but rather a subtler, more flavorful spice, with a little heat for fun. I emulated Middle Eastern and Caribbean cooking, picking a little from Jamacian jerk recipes, while adding what seems like good things to it. I’m sure there’s some other great things that can be thrown into this one, a little saffron powder, smoked salt, things like that. This is a really great recipe to play with and just have fun!

I named this recipe for fun for one of my favorite actors, John Barrowman. He’s a super talented British actor, but spent his formative years and was raised right close to me in Joliet, Illinois. He still visits sometimes, and I hope to bump into him on the street, or see a live performance here in Chicago! Wouldn’t that be so exciting?! Anyhow, this recipe is spicy and beeeefy (if you wish) like Mr. Barrowman. (heheh!) He also has a new CD of showtune covers coming out in just a few days, on March 1, 2010. He’s also playing a guest role in the last six episodes of this season’s Desperate Housewives on this side of the ocean, too! I also have to gush over the cufflinks made by Ian Flaherty that he’s chosen for his site- They’re all so wonderful!

Anyhow! After the jump, Onwards with the recipe!

Supplies: Bamboo skewers, Olive oil, Cast iron skillet or cookie sheet, lightly oiled.

Into The Meat:
1 to 1.25 pound of ground meat (Beef, Turkey, Chicken, Pork, Tofu substitute)
3 large cloves of garlic, microplaned or minced
1 tablespoon powdered Ginger
18 drops Tabasco
1/4 teaspoon Mustard Powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 cup, minced Onion (Preferably sweet! I like the purple ones, or even better, Vidalia onions if they’re in season.)

Note! If you’re leaning closer to a pound of meat, you might have some issues with the meatballs holding together for you. That’s fine! Just add an egg, and that will help to bind it together for you.

Over the top:
Couple dashes of Soy Sauce
3 or 4 Lemon wedges (optional, but an excellent touch!)
Saffron Flowers, red chili pepper, any suitable garnishing spice. Not necessary, of course.

In-between: Green pepper, onion chunks (if you do this, cut out the onion in the meat) Whatever you like on your kabobs, really! I usually just use one or two kinds of vegetables, these get pretty meaty!

Preparation: Pretty straightforward. Just mix up the spices and meat, make little meatballs, and slide them onto the skewers. You’re bright, you can do it

On the side: Wrap up a piece of naan or pita bread in foil, with a thin coat of butter on a side, throw it in the oven at 350 degrees F for about three minutes. A dollop of plain yogurt goes very nicely as well, and helps to salvage over-cooked and dry meat.

Vegetarian notes: I am quite sure that there’s an excellent meat substitute out there for this recipe, and it seems an easy and delicious replacement.

… bake at 350, 25 minutes, and will feed two in a big way, or four light eaters. There’s no need to flip them halfway through, either. Also, I like to put some slices of lemon on top, the juice helps to vary the flavor in a pleasant manner. I usually get about four kebab out of quantities like this. Enjoy!

I left the house this weekend! Oh me! Oh my! Fancy, fancy! Who would have thought such a thing! But, yes, on occasion, I like to venture out into the real world and enjoy some good ol’ fashioned visceral experience. You know me- I’m a party ani-mule.. slamming gin & tonics (hold the gin, please!) at the bar, dancing on the bar, leaving at closing time, covered in sweat and various goo, yanno. The usual. You know how C-dawg rolls. (edit: I just try to be polite and un-noticed!)

Anyhow, this was a very fun event! I’ll have to check it out again sometime. It was at Exit, a Chicago punk-sorta-club, which was fun- I knew the doorman, so that made cigarettes fun, met a friend from the intarwebs, and had fun overall! I really like seeing people so happy!

The event was hosted by Vaudezilla, a local burlesque troupe. I met Red Hot Annie there, whom I’d been bantering with online for a couple years now.

But most of all, I went to see my friend Jolie perform. She’s an excellent and devoted belly dancer, and it was high time I saw it for myself. So, onto the train I go, leaving the safety of The Embassy (some call it an apartment) for points new and unknown.. And here we go.. wait for it.. SHAMELESS PLUG: GO TO JOLIE’S SITE. TAKE CLASSES!! She fucking rocks and is good stuff all around. Trust me!

I did put new batteries in the camera, but apparently, they’re good for about eight photos. But that’s okay! Photos after the jump.. Keep in mind, if they’re good, they were lucky shots. These guys move too fast for me! >_<



This was indeed a lucky shot- The kickass ink and ‘pose’ made for a nice photo.

Gil is a really nice person I met there too. I wish I had a recording of her voice- It’s simply fucking amazing.

Now, back to burning myself with my soldering iron.