Kebabs and Fattoush

I'm so glad I planned a simple and fairly light dinner last night! J didn't get home from work until almost 11, so I was able to pop the kebabs under the broiler, with everything else already finished, and have dinner just coming out of the oven when she arrived, weary & hungry. When she was shopping for me earlier in the week, she couldn't find any lamb for the kebabs, so she brought home some filet mignon instead. They turned out delicious! By the way, if like me, you cannot find your wrought iron skewers and didn't soak the wood ones, you can always just lay the meat chunks on the broiler pan as they are, with the onions right alongside. I served these with only fattoush, but rice pilaf would be a good addition for folks eating earlier in the evening. The fattoush, incidentally, was delicious but perhaps doesn't qualify as fattoush since I was flying by the seat of my pants with ingredients! There would normally be some scallions and sumac would be used rather than za'atar.

Filet Kebabs

Enough filet mignon to feed two (8-16 oz., depending on how hungry you are)

1 lemon, juiced but with skins reserved

1/2 c. olive oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tbsp. za'atar

1 onion, quartered

Throw everything into a ziploc bag and squish around a bit. Let stand a couple-few hours, squishing around every so often. Thread meat & onions onto skewers (or plop on broiler pan). Preheat broiler (or grill) and cook until medium-rare. I served these with pita halves and we made sandwiches, but they're great alone, as well. Serves 2.

Fattoush-ish Salad

2 pitas, halved into 4 discs

1/2 cucumber, peeled, quartered and sliced

1 tomato, diced

1/2 bunch parsley, chopped

A healthy dose of dried mint (use fresh if you have it, though)

2 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 tbsp. olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Citrus sea salt (you can use any sea salt you like)

1/4 tsp. za'atar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Put pitas, on baking sheet, in oven for about minutes, then set aside to cool. Mix the rest together. Break up pitas, putting the pieces of one in the bottom of each of two bowls. Top with salad. Break one more pita up over the top of the salad. Drizzle with olive oil or liquid from salad. Serve promptly. Serves 2.