Beef tenderloin kebab bowls with rice and golden potatoes

COOK IT AT HOME

Beef tenderloin kebab bowls with rice and golden potatoes

Tenderloin needs little intervention beyond even cutting and careful cooking. A short garlic marinade seasons the surface without asking an expensive tender cut to sit for days. This home bowl follows the menu combination of beef skewers, rice, potatoes, salad, hummus and pita; the amounts below are for four meals rather than a statement of restaurant portion sizes.

Makes

4 bowls; 8 small skewers

Prep

30 minutes

Cook

40 minutes

Additional time

1–4 hours refrigerated marinating; 3 minutes beef resting

A home-kitchen recipe to accompany this guide. Ingredient brands and equipment can change cooking times; use the texture and doneness cues below.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb beef tenderloin, trimmed and cut into 1¼-inch cubes
• 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1½ teaspoons fine salt, divided
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 lb potatoes, cut into small wedges
• 1 cup basmati rice, rinsed
• 1½ cups water
• 4 cups chopped romaine
• 1 cucumber, chopped
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• 1 cup prepared hummus
• 4 pita breads

Step-by-step method

1. Coat beef with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, garlic, paprika, cumin, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Refrigerate in a covered bowl for 1–4 hours. Use metal skewers or soak wooden ones for 30 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 425°F. Toss potato wedges with 2 tablespoons oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Spread in one layer and roast 30–40 minutes, turning after 20 minutes, until the centers are tender and edges are browned.
3. Bring rice, water and ¼ teaspoon salt to a boil. Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes, then rest covered 10 minutes. If your rice package specifies another ratio, follow it.
4. Mix romaine, cucumber, tomato and parsley. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 3 tablespoons lemon juice with remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper; hold separately until serving.
5. Thread beef onto eight skewers. Grill over medium-high heat for about 8–12 minutes, rotating frequently and checking the thickest pieces. Cook to at least 145°F and rest on a clean plate at least 3 minutes. Do not reuse the raw marinade as a sauce.
6. Warm pita briefly in a dry pan. Dress salad and divide all sides between bowls, including ¼ cup hummus per serving. Add two skewers to each and serve promptly.

Helpful tips & substitutions

• Cut cubes uniformly; tiny pieces will overcook while larger ones reach their safe endpoint.
• A sirloin substitute is more economical but will have a different texture from tenderloin.
• Resting meat is part of the cooking process; do not skip it just because the cubes are small.

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate meat, rice and potatoes in separate shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F. Use within 3–4 days and reheat hot components to 165°F. Keep salad and cold sauces separate; dressed salad is best eaten the same day.

How to serve it

Offer lemon wedges or a little sumac onion salad alongside if desired.