Greek style grilled meat: Skewers

This week marks the beginning of the Carnival period and it is “meat week”. The Carnival  is a time of parties—mainly costume parties—revelry and eating lots of food that is not the vegan fasting diet that will begin “Clean Monday” (March 7 this year), which marks the first day of Lent. This Thursday is Tsiknopempti = “tsikna” is the smoke and smell of meat being grilled + Pempti (Thursday)—and most  either go out or grill at home with friends. Next week is cheese week. To celebrate, I am sharing my recipes for chicken, lamb and pork skewers.

Chicken skewers (for 8 skewers–6″)  
2 boneless chicken breasts OR thighs cut into 32 cubes 
24 pepper pieces
16 onion pieces
Marinade:
1/4 cup of yoghurt
½ small lemon zest
1 tbsp EVGE olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
**Marinate chicken at least 8 hours or overnight 

Lamb skewers (for 8 skewers–6″)
2lbs lamb leg cut into 32 cubes
24 Zucchini pieces
16 onion pieces
Marinade 
1/4 cup yoghurt
1 tbsp mint
1 tbsp grated onion (cut a piece a little less than 1/4 onion)
1 small garlic clove
1/2 tsp salt and pepper
1 tsp lemon juice (1/2 small lemon)
1 tbsp EVGE olive oil
**Marinate lamb at least 4 hours or overnight 

Pork Skewers (for 8 skewers–6″)
2lb pork shoulder cut into 32 cubes
24 pepper pieces
16 onion pieces
Marinade:
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 ½ tbsp wine vinegar
2 lemon zest
1 tbsp EVGE olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp rosemary
**Marinate pork at least 4 hours or overnight