We can just imagine the invention of the kebab sometime in the Paleolithic era. Stone-age Barbecue Bob was grilling a whole haunch of ground sloth impaled on a tree branch over an open fire. As the haunch began to cook, it would eventually fall off the stick into the fire. And Bob would throw a cursing fit. A woman at the cave no doubt looked up from grinding wild grass seeds into flour. She observed that if Bob cut the haunch into smaller pieces, he could thread them on a stick and they would cook faster and remain ash-free. Ta-da! Bob’s Kebabs was born. He got all the credit around the cave complex for this wondrous new invention. She got a break from his whining, and the whole band of cave dwellers got to enjoy sloth kebabs.
Lots of kebab innovations (sauces and beds of grain, for example) have taken hold in the last 15,000 years or so. A kebab, after all, is meat on a stick. It seemed like every dining spot in Athens offered kebabs as an option. We rarely said no, enjoying chicken, lamb, pork, and sausage kebabs—almost always for a pittance.
It reminded us of a kebab recipe that we used to make throughout the summer but had inexplicably shelved. We don’t remember where we found the recipe, but the yogurt and feta marinade certainly seems Greek to us. It produces very tender and tangy chicken. Any leftovers can be chopped up and added to greens for a main dish salad.
Chicken kebabs with red pepper
1 cup plain yogurt
5 tablespoons (packed) crumbled feta
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon dried, lightly ground)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in 1 inch cubes
2 large red bell peppers, roasted and peeled, cut in 1 inch pieces
6 10- to 12-inch bamboo skewers, soaked in water 30 minutes
oregano to taste
Mix yogurt, 3 tablespoons feta, garlic, rosemary, and pepper. Add chicken and toss to coat. Let marinate at room temperature 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.
Start fire in charcoal grill. Thread chicken and bell peppers onto skewers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until chicken is cooked through (about 8 minutes total).
Transfer kebabs to platter. Sprinkle with remaining feta and oregano to taste.