Pinchitos Morunos

Small Spicy Moorish Kebabs

Europe's first kebabs were brought by the Arabs from Africa. Pinchitos morunos are eaten everywhere in Spain as a tapa, though nowadays they are made of pork, rather than lamb.

Spices for them are sold ready-mixed in the south. I have used curry powder as part of my mixture as it contains cumin and very similar herbs.

Serves 6
Difficulty: very easy
Preparation time: 25 min. plus 2 hours marinating

Ingredients

1 lb. lean pork, cut into small cubes
2 garlic gloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon mild curry powder or pinchito spice mixture
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon Spanish paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Crush the garlic with the salt in a mortar (or with the flat of a knife on a board), then work in the other ingredients.

Skewer the pork, 3-4 cubes to a small stick, and marinate them in a shallow dish with the herbs (pinchito spice, coriander, paprika, and thyme), turning so they are well coated. Leave at least a couple of hours.

Spread the pinchitos out well on a barbecue or on foil under a grill. Cook them under a high heat for about 3 minutes on each side.

Best with...

Pinchitos Amarillos Andalucía Kebab Seasoning

We are delighted to have found the authentic artisan-quality yellow seasoning for the pinchitos / kabobs favored by Andalucians -- the people of Southern Spain. This traditional "Condimiento para Pinchitos" recipe is from the small town of Peligro in Granada -- the last Moorish kingdom in Spain.

The carton contains enough seasoning to prepare 5 lbs / 2 kilos of pork, lamb, beef, or goat for barbecue. The age-old recipe contains a complex blend of salt, oregano, caraway, Indian saffron (curry), cilantro, wild cumin, anis, garlic, cayenne, nutmeg and clove.

Encina Oak Grilling Chips

On the 'Dehesa' or oak forests of south-western Spain, the Encina oak is king. Farmers use this wood to slowly smoke peppers for the famous Pimentón de la Vera paprika, a La Tienda favorite. They also produce the sweet green acorns that are feasted upon by the legendary black-hoofed Iberico pig - essential for producing Jamon Iberico, the finest ham in the world.

These chips are perfect for the grill. Simply soak them in water and throw a few on hot coals. They will add flavor to meats, shrimp and seafood.

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