Mood Food — Steak Kabobs with Twice Baked Potatoes: Patch Blogs

Really some days just suck, sometimes whole weeks. It is then we go for comfort food. When I think of comfort food, however, I do not think of mac and cheese and meatloaf, although a noble meal, when I need a food hug I want meat, namely cow. Steak comes from a very unique animal. It may be the only animal on the planet that can claim to be both aesthetically pleasing and rather tasty. So let's talk meat.

Julia Child said “The only time to eat diet food is while the steak is cooking." In my opinion this is so true; I mean you wouldn't want to spoil your appetite. When I worked in the restaurant biz, broil was one of my favorite stations to work; it is the uber backyard grill. Six feet of grilling surface, hotter than the sun; in fact, by the end of a night working broil you can actually hear the devil laughing from under the licking flames. The bonus? Once a broil expert you will know more about meat and the different ways to cook it than you ever thought possible. Now the meat dish of the day is the kabob. All of the satisfaction of steak, the beauty of an organized and colorful dish and all the comfort of food on a stick. Now I am aware of the usual kabob style of meat, onion, pepper, repeat. However, I think we have established that I am never satisfied with food as it was intended; well, at least in most cases. Let’s make a kabob of such flavor and beauty that it is good enough for ooohs, ahhhs and pictures. As a side dish, because the side should never be an afterthought, let’s do a twice baked potato with cheese and garlic; a potato worthy of steak.

Honestly, I am too tired to rhyme this week.

Equipment List

4 skewers (if you use bamboo, make sure to soak them in water so they do not burn)
3 large bowls for seasoning veggies, one for potatoes
Ziploc Bag
Broil pan if you are not using the grill
hand mixer
baking pan for potatoes
oven at 400 for the potatoes and then broil for the meat


Ingredient List

For The Marinade

½ c soy sauce
½ c pineapple juice
1 tsp Worcestershire
2 tblsp brown sugar
1 tsp ginger
1 ½ tsp garlic
S&P to taste



All The Rest

2 steaks serves 2 at 2 kabobs each (don’t go crazy here and buy filets, get your favorite cut and what is on sale)
1 large red onion
1 large green pepper (Use any color of peppers you want)
1 large yellow
1 large red pepper
1 mango
8 baby portabella mushrooms
1 large bulb of garlic
1 can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
2 large baking potatoes
½ c sour cream
¾ c shredded cheese (something tangy like cheddar)
¼ stick butter or margerine
2 tblsp of milk

Putting It All Together

Pop your potatoes into your preheated oven, unwrapped (no foil) for 45 minutes. If you would like salt them on the outside. Potatoes love salt. If you start them first they will be done when you are ready to broil the kabob. If you are using the grill just get them in oven an hour before you start the meat. In with the potatoes goes half of your bulb of garlic. Cut off just the tips of the bulb to expose the garlic and wrap it up in a little foil so that it is covered and let it roast, about 30 minutes. You will need it for the potato mixture later.

Now, each of the steaks has to make two kabobs so measure accordingly. Don’t cut the meat too small, you don’t want it to disappear under the veggies, it is the star, remember. Trim any fat from the outside rim of the steaks, no need for the extra flavor — the marinade will take care of that.

Mix the marinade in a plastic Ziploc bag and add the cubes of steak. This can marinate for as little as 30 minutes or as long as overnight in the fridge.

When the meat is ready to go take it out of the fridge and let it sit while you dice the veggies. Slice the onions and peppers into 1-inch pieces. Clean and de-stem the mushrooms, toss them all in one of the bowls and generously season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a little olive oil and set aside.

Peel your mango, no amount of grilling will make the skin yummy; at least in my opinion. Cut into similar size pieces, about one inch. Put them in the other bowl and open the can of chipotle peppers in adobo. Now these peppers are hot, I mean hot. If you want to ease up on the spice only use a bit of the sauce or none at all. The mango will grill wonderfully and taste great without the peppers. For those of you that like the heat, add a tablespoon of the sauce to the mango pieces and stir. Take the other half of your bulb of garlic and remove the skin from eight of the cloves. Now it is time to build the kabob. Really put things in any order you want. There is only one rule. Inside the cap of each mushroom hide a clove of garlic. This adds a lot of flavor and leaves the option of whether or not to eat it.

Once built put them on the grill and let the fire do its job. Now if you are broiling, which I do all the time, don’t put them up close to the heat. Move the oven rack to the middle and let them sizzle slowly, about 5 minutes or so per side.

Take your baked potatoes and cut them in half. Scoop out as much of the inside as you can and add to a bowl. Add the sour cream, shredded cheese, milk and butter and whip. Now remember that half a bulb of garlic; turn it over and squeeze it into the bowl (use a towel to grab it — it was in the oven). It should be caramel in color and taste sweet. Add a little S&P and whip one more time for good measure. Add the mix back to the potato shells. Sprinkle with a little cheddar and put them back in the oven for about about 10 minutes at 350.

This a great summer meal for the grill and because it is adaptable to the oven a great meal to remind you of summer when snow is up to your knees.

Hint: For a little added kick squeeze a lime over the kabobs when they are done. Adds great fresh flavor.

Next Week: Dessert cheats . . . sometimes semi-homemade is just as good.