Mediterranean Beef Skewers with Roasted Shokichi Squash & Garlic Rice

Mediterranean Beef Skewers

with Roasted Shokichi Squash & Garlic Rice

45 MIN
4 Servings
Wellness at Blue Apron
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Vegetarian
These recipes don’t contain meat, poultry, fish, or seafood.* They’re made with fruits and vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. *Select artisanal cheeses may contain animal-derived rennet.
Carb Conscious
These meals have 48g or less of net carbs (total carbs minus dietary fiber) per serving. They replace refined carbohydrates from sources like white flour, rice, and cane sugar with high-fiber foods like fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
600 Calories Or Less
Coming in at 600 calories or less per serving, these recipes are ideal for those choosing to monitor their caloric intake without sacrificing flavor. The US Food & Drug Administration uses 2000 calorie daily intake for general advice. The 600 calorie cap equates to 30% of the total 2000 calories per day based on 3 meals per day with 200 calories remaining for snack or beverage.
Wellness Grain
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Pescatarian
These recipes feature a wide array of nutritious seafood options like salmon, cod, tilapia, crab, and shrimp. While these dishes never contain meat, pork or poultry, they may contain animal derived ingredients such as milk, butter, cheese and/or honey.
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From the Test Kitchen

These delectable beef skewers are our take on kofta, a popular Middle Eastern dish of spiced meatballs or patties. We’re dressing ours up with the vibrant flavors of the Mediterranean coast, including the sweetness of golden raisins. Serving the patties on wooden skewers makes them perfect for dipping into our tangy labneh, a yogurt-like cheese. (To keep the patties intact when adding them to the pan, be sure to carefully lift the patties themselves, not the wooden skewers!) Garlic rice and roasted shokichi squash—a thick-skinned, orange-fleshed variety—make for simple, hearty sides.

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  • Nutrition
    PER SERVING
  • Calories
    685 Cals (est.)
fresh
ingredients
time-saving
tips & techniques
Prepare the ingredients:
1 Prepare the ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Cut off and discard the squash ends; using a knife, carefully peel, then halve. Using a spoon, scoop out and discard the pulp and seeds; cut the squash into 1-inch-wide wedges.

Make the garlic rice:
2 Make the garlic rice:

In a small pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add half the garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the rice, a big pinch of salt and 1½ cups of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat and fluff the cooked rice with a fork. Transfer to a serving dish and set aside in a warm place.

Roast & dress the squash:
3 Roast & dress the squash:

While the rice cooks, place the squash on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to thoroughly coat. Arrange in a single, even layer and roast 22 to 24 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven. Top with half the vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil.

Assemble the skewers:
4 Assemble the skewers:

While the squash roast, in a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, raisins, egg and remaining garlic; season with salt and pepper. Gently mix to combine. Using your hands, form the mixture into 8 oval-shaped patties, each about 1 inch thick. Transfer to a plate. Working 1 at a time, insert the ends of the skewers through the patties. Season with salt and pepper.

Cook the skewers:
5 Cook the skewers:

While the squash continue to roast, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Working in batches if necessary, carefully add the assembled skewers. Cook, loosely covering the pan with foil, 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.

Season the labneh & serve your dish:
6 Season the labneh & serve your dish:

While the skewers cook, in a bowl, combine the labneh and remaining vinegar; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish. Transfer the cooked skewers and roasted squash to a serving dish. Serve with the garlic rice and seasoned labneh on the side. Enjoy!

Tips from Home Chefs

1 Prepare the ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Cut off and discard the squash ends; using a knife, carefully peel, then halve. Using a spoon, scoop out and discard the pulp and seeds; cut the squash into 1-inch-wide wedges.

2 Make the garlic rice:

In a small pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add half the garlic; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add the rice, a big pinch of salt and 1½ cups of water. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook 12 to 14 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Remove from heat and fluff the cooked rice with a fork. Transfer to a serving dish and set aside in a warm place.

Make the garlic rice:
Roast & dress the squash:
3 Roast & dress the squash:

While the rice cooks, place the squash on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper; toss to thoroughly coat. Arrange in a single, even layer and roast 22 to 24 minutes, or until browned and tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven. Top with half the vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil.

4 Assemble the skewers:

While the squash roast, in a large bowl, combine the ground beef, breadcrumbs, raisins, egg and remaining garlic; season with salt and pepper. Gently mix to combine. Using your hands, form the mixture into 8 oval-shaped patties, each about 1 inch thick. Transfer to a plate. Working 1 at a time, insert the ends of the skewers through the patties. Season with salt and pepper.

Assemble the skewers:
Cook the skewers:
5 Cook the skewers:

While the squash continue to roast, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Working in batches if necessary, carefully add the assembled skewers. Cook, loosely covering the pan with foil, 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through.

6 Season the labneh & serve your dish:

While the skewers cook, in a bowl, combine the labneh and remaining vinegar; season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving dish. Transfer the cooked skewers and roasted squash to a serving dish. Serve with the garlic rice and seasoned labneh on the side. Enjoy!

Season the labneh & serve your dish:
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