Look for a robust, well-seasoned version of Polish sausage for this kebob, perfect fare for a crisp fall weekend. To make these a main course, for a football party perhaps, switch to metal skewers, add more meat and potatoes plus a few pearl onions and bay leaves, and serve the grilled tidbits over sautéed cabbage enriched with a bit of cream and some juniper berries.
MAKES 2 DOZEN KEBOBS
| ¼ | cup butter |
| 2 | tablespoons Mixed Mustard Plaster ([>]) or brown mustard |
| 1½ | pounds waxy red potatoes, well scrubbed and cut into bite-size chunks |
| 4 | 6-ounce fully cooked Polish sausages, such as kielbasa, sliced into ½- to ¾-inch rounds |
| Soaked bamboo skewers | |
| All-'Round Rub ([>]) or kosher salt or other coarse salt | |
| Mixed Mustard Plaster ([>]) or brown mustard |
In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat and stir in the mustard.
Par-cook potato chunks by steaming or boiling them until they can be easily pierced with a skewer but are not completely tender. (The potatoes can be cooked several hours ahead and refrigerated. Bring them to room temperature before proceeding.)
Fire up the grill, bringing the temperature to medium (4 to 5 seconds with the hand test).
Thread 2 sausage chunks onto a skewer, interspersed with a potato chunk, avoiding crowding. Thread the sausage chunks through their casing covered sides so that the cut surfaces will face the fire during grilling Brush the kebobs with the mustard butter. Sprinkle moderately with the dry rub or lightly with salt.
Grill the kebobs uncovered over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning the skewers regularly to sear all sides. The sausage and potatoes should be a little crusty on the surface but still juicy. If grilling covered, cook for 5 to 6 minutes, turning once midway.
Serve the kebobs hot with a cold beer and more mustard for dunking.
TECHNIQUE TIP: Instead of bamboo or metal skewers, try sturdy herb stalks. Rosemary and mint in particular add a hint of their scent and look wonderful with a tuft of leaves emerging from the top of a kebob. Consider other interesting possibilities too, such as stripped-down sugar-cane skewers, now beginning to pop up in supermarket produce sections, or slim bay tree branches. Avoid cuttings from soft resinous woods like pine, and anything that may have been sprayed with chemicals or that grows close to a road where it can collect exhaust. With any plant stalks, soak them as you would bamboo.