Recipe: Mushroom, Red Pepper, and Squash Yakitori and Yakitori Glaze

MUSHROOM, RED PEPPER, AND SQUASH YAKITORI
"Japanese street vendors do a mean business in yakitori, literally "grilled chicken." There, chicken parts are skewered and grilled over live coals and continuously basted with a slightly sweet soy-based sauce. In the California spirit, we've taken the liberty to vary this delicious dish, creating a simple combo of veggies that we grill and baste with our flashy sugar-infused glaze."


"Fried brown rice with green peas makes a great complement to the dish. Splash some of the yakitori glaze over the stir-fry to season it while it cooks."

FOR THE YAKITORI GLAZE:
2/3 cup low-salt vegetable stock
1/4 cup sake
3 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons mirin or dry sherry
1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons seasoned rice vinegar
2 small garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water

FOR THE SKEWERS:
20 large white or cremini mushrooms (about 2-inch caps)
20 (1 3/4-by-1-inch) rectangular pieces yellow crookneck squash (about 3 medium squash)
28 (1 1/2-inch) squares red bell pepper (about 3 large bell peppers)
1/3 cup vegetable oil, for brushing
Select 12 (10-to 12-inch) wooden or metal skewers; if using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes and drain before using.

TO MAKE THE YAKITORI GLAZE:
Combine the vegetable stock, sake, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, rice vinegar, garlic, and ginger in a medium non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.

Dissolve the cornstarch in the 1 tablespoon water and whisk into the soy mixture. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

TO PREPARE THE KABOBS:
Preheat a grill to medium high or the oven to 450 degrees F.

Thread 5 mushrooms, lengthwise (starting with the bottom of each stem), onto each of 4 skewers. Thread 5 pieces of squash onto each of 4 other skewers. Thread 7 red pepper pieces onto each of 4 other skewers. Place the kabobs on a baking sheet and brush with the vegetable oil, rotating the kabobs to coat evenly.

Place the kabobs on the grill, grouping each type of vegetable for consistent cooking times. Close the grill and cook until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 20 minutes. (The vegetables have slightly different cooking times, so check them frequently for doneness.) Rotate the kabobs at least twice so the vegetables cook evenly. Brush liberally with the yakitori glaze a few minutes before the vegetables are ready. (Or, place the skewers on two baking sheets lined with aluminum foil and bake in the center of the oven for 25 to 35 minutes, basting at least twice after about 20 minutes.)

Remove from the grill or oven and brush vegetables liberally with the glaze. Serve immediately, drizzled with additional glaze.

DO AHEAD TIPS:
The Yakitori Glaze can be made 1 week in advance, The skewers can be assembled 1 day in advance and brushed with oil just before cooking. They can also be cooked as directed 1 day in advance and reheated just before serving

Makes: 12 skewers
Serves: 4 as an entree
Source: Skewer It! by Mary Corpening Barber, Sara Corpening Whiteford and Rebecca Chastenet de Gery