Pinchitos Morunos Recipes

Steps:

• Using a mortar and pestle, mash garlic, cilantro, cumin, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper.
• Add olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar and mix well.
• Place 4-5 pieces of meat on each skewer (for best results, first soak skewers 1/2 hour in water).
• Put skewer in a container and top with marinade.
• Let marinate for 2-3 hours, turning every once in a while.
• Grill over medium heat until cooked through-- about 10-15 minutes, turning as needed.
• Serve with lemon wedges and cilantro.
• Note: These can be done in the oven too-375° for 15 minutes (about), turning once.

Steps:

• Cut the chicken breasts,lamb or pork into cubes about 1" in size. Flatten them slightly with the palm of your hand.
• Place the meat in a large bowl and add the dried spices, garlic & salt, saffron infused water, oregano, bay leaf and vinegar - mix thouroughly.
• Then add the olive oil - mix again thoroughly, cover with cling film and leave in the fridge for between 2 & 12 hours, so the flavours mingle and marinade into the meat.
• Light the barbecue about half an hour before cooking and allow the charcoal or wood to flare and then glow.
• If cooking inside, turn the grill up to high, or use a smoking hot griddle or griddle pan.
• Thread the meat on to the skewers.
• Grill for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the outside is charred and the inside is still juicy but cooked. (NOT pink for pork and chicken - but pink for lamb).
• Season well with salt and pepper and sprinkle with chopped flat leaf parsley or fresh coriander (Cilantro), serve with a selection of salads, flat breads, pickles and Sherry vinegar dressing.

Steps:

• The size can also vary from being small skewers with 2 or 3 chunks of meat to larger ones with 7 or 8 chunks. This recipe is for the larger variety but again you may want to go for the small ones and get more pinchos out of the same mix. This recipe makes 8 large skewers
• Grind the cumin and the coriander seeds and put them in a large bowl. Add the garlic, paprika, oregano, a pinch of salt and then mix in the lemon juice and olive oil.
• Cut the pork into small cubes. Put the meat into the marinade and make sure it all covered by the marinade. Leave it to marinate for about 2 hours in a cool place.
• After about 2 hours put the meat onto skewers. You should get about 8 skewers from this quantity of meat depending on how much meat you put on each one. I used metal skewers but do remember if you are using wooden ones it is a good idea to soak them in water for a while as this should prevent them from burning.
• You can then cook them over a preheated grill or on the barbeque. Remember to turn them over part way through cooking and spoon the juices over them. Cooking time will depend on the heat of the grill or BBQ and also how big or small you cut the pork. I would estimate about 10 minutes under the grill.