Speidini Di Carne E Funghi (Sicilian Kebobs - Meat and Mushroom)
photo by Bergy
- Ingredients:
- 17
- Serves:
-
6
ingredients
- 3 lbs flank steaks
- 1 lb mushroom, caps left whole,stems removed and minced
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 1⁄2 cups breadcrumbs
- 1⁄2 onion, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, pureed or minced,divided in half
- 1 -2 small firm plum tomato, pulp chopped,and juices reserved
- 1 fresh red chili pepper, minced (or 1 tsp chile paste or equivalent, to taste)
- 6 tablespoons grating hard cheese (provolone, pecorino, parmesan, etc.)
- 1⁄2 cup fresh herb, minced (can be one, or any combination of parsley, sage, or oregano, to taste - or use 2 tsp dried, crumbled)
- 1⁄4 cup hazelnuts, ground (or fine chopped, or coarse chopped pine nuts)
- 1 -2 anchovy, mashed (optional)
- 3 tablespoons currants (or chopped dark raisins, optional)
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
- olive oil (about 1 cup total; for sauteing and marinade)
- red wine (approx 1/2 cup for stuffing, 1 cup for marinade)
- 1 whole sage leaf (to be placed on skewers; between speidinis) (optional)
directions
- Slice flank steak thin as for scallopines or bracioles, and slices pounded thinner- to at least 2 by 4 inches (3 by 4 or so is ideal); three pounds of meat should yield at least 30 slices.
- Prepare stuffing (saute).
- Heat about 1/4 cup olive oil in heavy based pan, and saute the onion, half the garlic, and red chile, until onion is translucent.
- Add hazelnuts (or pine nuts)- if using ground hazelnuts, saute until nuts release oils and thin out.
- Add minced mushroom stems and cook until stems have released juices, and mixture darkens and seems to dry out.
- Add tomato pulp and juices, currants/raisins (if using) and the 1/2 cup red wine, and continue, until alcohol cooks out.
- Remove from heat and cool slightly.
- Then add grated cheese, anchovies, and herbs and mix well.
- Taste for salt and pepper and add as needed.
- Add the egg and mix again, and then add about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of the bread crumbs- mixture should hold together well.
- Taste again for salt and pepper and add as needed/desired (I use about 1 tbs black pepper; salt depends on anchovies and cheese, which are salty).
- Prepare meat speidinis.
- Spread stuffing on meat slices and roll tightly, like a jelly roll.
- Or, if slices are large enough, you can place stuffing in center and fold over each side to make a neat packet.
- Secure meat on skewers, speidini style: Use two skewers; one securing each end of meat packet, and running parallel to each other, so that you will end up with a"two-skewer" kebob, with the packets centered between.
- This method allows for better handling and cooking of the kebobs, since packets can be turned, basted, and grilled much more efficiently.
- Alternate meat with sage leaves, if using.
- Prepare mushroom speidinis by filling each cap with stuffing, and then making a"sandwich" with two caps top to top.
- If using the sage leaves, they can be placed between the sandwiched mushrooms for extra flavor.
- Skewer using the same two skewer method as for the meat speidinis, for secure easy handling.
- Marinate the speidini kebobs in a mixture of olive oil, the other half of the garlic, and red wine.
- Marinade can be adjusted to taste, by adding more herbs or seasonings- depending on the packet or stuffing used for the speidinis.
- I use a roasting pan so the speidinis lie flat in the marinade.
- Turn often enough so both sides marinate.
- Marinating time is flexible- at least one hour, but can marinate overnight, if covered and refrigerated.
- Just prior to cooking the speidinis, remove from marinade, and coat lightly in the remaining bread crumbs on both sides.
- Grill or broil the speidinis, turning one; about 6 minutes for each side, or to taste.
- Alternatively, speidinis can be cooked in a hot oven (475 F preheated); about 10 minutes for each side (on a baking sheet or roasting pan).
- Variations: stuffing recipe here can be used to fill rolled eggplant slices (slice length-wise and parboil/steam/quick saute before rolling), or pepper rolls (roast peppers and remove as much skin as possible, then cut to speidini size pieces).
- Other meats can be used with various stuffings; a simple sauted and herbed onion dressing is also very nice, and quite traditional as well.
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Reviews
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I don't know how this wonderful recipe has stayed undiscovered for nearly 2 years - It is not difficult to make and the flavor will wow you I suspect because there are 30 preparation steps that it has scared off many members. If I may make a suggestion reorder the ingredients so they match the steps in the recipe and rewrite the steps, Some of the information that is in the steps could go into the introduction - Have 3 parts to the recipeSpeidini de Carne, Speidini de Funghi and Marinade. I think the mushrooms should also be a separate recipe in Appetizers as well as in this recipe they are great. I realize that this was a contest recipe so all 5 necessary ingredients had to be included in this one recipe. I used Rouladen beef and cut each into two (just the right size) I cut the recipe back to only make four so I did not skewer the meat rolls but used toothpicks to seal each one. Same with the mushrooms I made 2 so used tooth picks for these as well. I say don't miss out on this recipe it is excellent - I hope, labouchet ,that you are not angry at my suggestions my intent is not to be a know it all but I want to see this recipe appreciated by many Thanks for your creative, delicious recipe
