Grilled Paneer + Zucchini Skewers with Poblano Sauce

Whereas many locations begin to really feel the pull towards fall in late August, summer time nonetheless feels fairly current within the Central Valley of California. The temperatures are nonetheless heat, and the backyard continues to be producing, together with zucchini. These grilled paneer skewers are one among my favourite methods to eat zucchini on this late summer time season, primarily as a result of there’s a lot occurring that you just sort of overlook you’re consuming zucchini for the one centesimal time this season. 

Grilled Paneer

I’ve a slight obsession with all of the varieties of grilling cheeses–assume halloumi, panela, and paneer. I really like them partially as a result of although all of them begin with milk, the ultimate product may be very totally different. 

Of all of the grilling cheeses, I’ve discovered paneer holds up the perfect to fireside and daring sauces. Paneer is barely decrease in moisture content material than different agency grilling cheeses. The firmness interprets right into a grilled paneer with completely crispy outsides, a tender inside, and the power to carry form when cooked. 

Grilled Paneer + Style

Nonetheless, essentially the most vital distinction with paneer is that there isn’t any salt within the cheese. Don’t be shy when salting the paneer, getting ready to grill, and the salt within the sauce. With out stable ranges of salt, your skewers could really feel barely missing. 

The Zucchini

In the case of these grilled paneer skewers, I prefer to grill them rapidly to make sure they keep barely moist. Cooking this manner can be important for the zucchini. The thinly sliced zucchini is ideal for a fast char over the fireplace. By cooking this manner, the zucchini cooks barely however maintains a small quantity of texture–no mush right here! Simply be certain that your grill is scorching.

Swap zucchini for skinny slices of beets, snap peas, or onions through the cooler months. 

The Poblano Sauce

The sauce is chunky and depends on grilled peppers as the bottom. I benefit from the delicate taste of poblanos, however in the event you’re seeking to make fast work of the sauce, swap in roasted purple peppers. You may also play with herbs and use a mixture of parsley, cilantro, and/or basil. 

The Grains

Lastly, the grains! There’s no improper reply right here, so use what you may have readily available or get pleasure from most. I prefer to layer the skewers on the cooked grains after which spoon on any remaining sauce. By spooning the sauce, a few of it flows down and mingles with the grains.

Poblano Sauce

• 3-4 (180 g) poblano peppers
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 2-3 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tablespoons rice vinegar
• ¼ cup (5 g) loosely packed basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon miso
• Olive oil to complete
• Salt to style

Paneer Skewers

• 8 ounces paneer
• 1 (500 g) medium zucchini
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

For Serving

• 2 cups cooked grains (your selection, comparable to barley, emmer, quinoa, or rice)

1. To prep the poblanos: Preheat your grill to medium-high warmth. Place the poblanos in a bowl and toss with olive oil till properly coated. Switch to the grill and cook dinner, rotating often, till all of the peppers are charred.

2. Switch to a bowl, cowl with a plate, and let relaxation for 10 minutes.

3. To prep the skewers: Dice the paneer, slicing roughly 16 items from the cheese. Thinly slice the zucchini about ⅛” thick. If the zucchini you’re working with is bigger, reduce the zucchini slices in half, creating half-moons. You need the zucchini slices to be roughly the identical width because the paneer so all the things grills evenly.

4. Thread a number of items of zucchini onto a metallic skewer, adopted by a chunk of paneer. Repeat this with 3 extra items, layering zucchini between the items of cheese. Repeat with 3 extra skewers. Every skewer ought to have roughly 4 items of cheese and 5 teams of zucchini.

5. Place the zucchini on a plate and coat with the olive oil and salt.

6. To complete the sauce: Earlier than grilling, end the sauce. Place the minced garlic and vinegar in a medium bowl. Take away the pores and skin, stem, and seeds from the poblanos. Place on a slicing board and mince till the peppers look close to paste-like.

7. Switch the peppers to the bowl with the garlic. Mince the basil and add it to the bowl together with the miso. Mash till the combination resembles a paste, then drizzle in sufficient olive oil to loosen it right into a thick sauce. Style and add salt as wanted.

8. To complete the skewers: Place them on the grill and grill till charred, flipping to cook dinner both sides. Switch to a plate and spoon half the sauce over the grilled skewers. Flip, spooning the opposite half of the sauce over the skewers.

9. Place the grains on a medium serving platter and high with the skewers. Spoon any sauce that fell off the skewers within the earlier step and serve.