Put a stick in it: Today is National Something-on-a-Stick Day

This one is new to me: Apparently today is National Something-on-a-Stick Day. I’m not sure if the concept is strictly referencing food, but that’s how I’m playing it. We can call them kebabs or skewers or en brochette; they can be metal or wooden or some other type of spear. Whatever we call them, it is fast and easy to put together a meal on sticks.

Whether for a special get-together on the weekend or a quick-fix meal after a busy workday, skewered meats and vegetables cook quickly and provide interesting alternatives to the usual meat-and-potatoes fare. This type of meal can be perfect for gatherings, because you can put out a large variety of items, and each person can select just what they like to be skewered; something for every age and preference. If you have lunches to fix for loved ones today, maybe colorful tropical fruit chunks with a slightly sweetened cream cheese dip, would be a nice little treat. So I’m “sticking” it to you today … hope you find something to celebrate.

Tomato and feta skewers

Here’s an easy, no-cook appetizer from “Small Bites” by Jennifer Joyce; makes 20 skewers.

20 small skewers (I cut little bamboo ones in half on diagonal)

1 block feta cheese (enough for 20 1-inch cubes)

10 cherry tomatoes

1 teaspoon crushed fennel seeds

1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

Pinch of crushed chile pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the feta into 20 1-inch cubes. Cut cherry tomatoes in half. Feed one cube of cheese and a tomato half onto each skewer. In a bowl, mix fennel seeds, lemon rind, chili pepper and olive oil. Place skewers in a dish; season with salt and pepper, then pour marinade over. Let sit for an hour (do not refrigerate), then serve on a platter.

Barbecued skewered shrimp patties

This reminds me of the Indonesian version that uses small sugar cane stalks for skewers. If you can get them, it would be a nice touch. Otherwise, soak wooden ones in water for an hour before putting on grill. Recipe from “Outdoor Cooking” by the editors of Time-Life Books; makes 4 servings.

2 pounds shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 egg

2 scallions, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste

2 tablespoons fish sauce or light soy sauce

3 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Salt and black pepper

Chop shrimp into a fine paste or put them through a meat grinder. Add egg, scallions, garlic, fish sauce or soy sauce, oil, cornstarch, sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well; beat with a wooden spoon to form a smooth paste. Shape shrimp paste into compact 2-inch balls. Squeeze each ball firmly into an elongated sausage shape about 3 inches long, and thread a skewer through its length. Grill patties for 10 minutes on each side, until crisp and brown. Watch closely to make sure skewers do not burn. Serve warm.

Vegetable kebabs

Whenever you are grilling meat, you might want to grill vegetables, too.

The following are tips from Janet Fletcher, author of “More Vegetables, Please.” Some vegetables can be lightly brushed with oil and placed directly on the grill. These include carrots, whole scallions, chunks of onions, corn, peppers, asparagus, slices of eggplant, fennel, mushrooms, tomatoes and summer squash. When using skewers, you can make a colorful combination of vegetables that will cook through in about the same amount of time. If you have items with different cook times, put only one type of vegetable on each skewer and combine when ready to serve.

Caribbean meatballs on skewers

Herbs, ginger, chili and nutmeg make these aromatic and irresistible. And you can do the prep work in advance. If you grill them, make sure your grill is well oiled so these don’t stick. Recipe from “Fast Appetizers” by Hugh Carpenter and Teri Sandison; makes12 skewers to serve as appetizers, or serve with rice and a big salad as an entrée for two or three.

3/4 pound ground pork, veal or lamb

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro sprigs

2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

2 tablespoons finely minced ginger

2 teaspoons hot sauce

1 tablespoon oyster sauce or low-sodium soy sauce

3/4 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg

2 tablespoons flavorless cooking oil

1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs

12 bamboo skewers, soaked in water for an hour

1 cup sweet-and-sour apricot dip (recipe follows)

In a bowl, combine ground meat, cilantro, mint, ginger, hot sauce, oyster or soy sauce, and nutmeg. Using your hands, mix well. Lightly oil hands; form meat into about 24 1/2-inch-diameter meatballs by rolling meat between your palms. Place bread crumbs in shallow dish; roll meatballs in bread crumbs; place 2 meatballs on each skewer, then refrigerate skewers (can be made up to 12 hours before grilling.)

Preheat a gas barbecue or indoor grill to medium. Brush meatballs with apricot dip. When grill is ready, brush it with oil, then place a double layer of aluminum foil across bottom third of grill. Place meatballs on grill so exposed skewers are protected from heat by the foil. Grill meatballs until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Turn over halfway through cooking; serve at once.

Sweet and sour apricot dip

15 dried apricots

1 3/4 cups apricot nectar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

1 teaspoon Asian chili sauce

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low, cover, simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool. Place in a blender container to liquefy. Dip will keep in a covered container in refrigerator for up to 6 months.