ostrich fillet kebabs with zucchini tzatziki
Today is International Organic day so this recipe could not be more appropriate. The ostrich fillet is sourced from a farm in the Karoo where the birds run fairly wild and graze on the delicious vegetation of the area. You really can taste it in every bite. It makes a healthy and interesting alternative to beef kebabs, and I’ve prepared a marinade in a Greek-style.
Wednesday is national braai day in South Africa, so consider using free-range meat when making your purchase decisions.
Organically grown does not only apply to food, but to wine. The vineyards in the West Coast Darling area produce the Earthbound range of 100% organic wines, which also happen to be Fairtrade certified.
To enter leave a comment below with an interesting cooking idea with your favourite organic produce. It can be anything.
* cooks notes – You can use organic grass-fed beef instead if you prefer. Cook on a braai or a griddle pan to your preference but I like it medium-rare. Allow the meat to rest before serving. Toasted pita bread cut in half and filled with the meat and vegetables and salad is also delicious.
Recipe – makes 8 kebabs
Ostrich fillet kebabs with zucchini tzatziki
Ingredients
- 650 g – 750g Ostrich fillet cut into large even cubes
- ½ red onion peeled and cut into quarter slices
- ½ red pepper cut into even pieces
- ½ green pepper cut into even pieces
- 8 small button mushrooms
- Additional olive oil for basting during cooking
- Lemon wedges to serve
Marinade:
- 3 T olive oil
- 2 t dried mint
- 1 T dried oregano
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 2 bay leaves
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- Juice of a lemon
Zucchini tzatziki:
- 4 medium zucchini grated
- 1 cup plain yoghurt high fat is better
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1 t dried oregano
- 1 t chopped fresh mint
- Juice of ¼ lemon
- Drizzle of olive oil
- Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make the marinade in advance – at least an hour or the day before. Mix all the marinade ingredients together (except the lemon if you are making this the day before). Place in a Ziploc bag with the meat cubes and mix everything together well. Store in the fridge if you are making the day before. When you are ready to add the lemon juice.
- Pre-soak wooden skewers in water.
- Thread the meat, peppers, onion and mushrooms onto the skewer making sure not to bunch the meat up too much *tip - ensure that the vegetables are not bigger then the meat cubes as this will prevent the meat from making contact with the griddle pan. If you are making on a braai this will not matter.
- Brush lightly with olive oil and cook on a griddle pan on the stove, a gas or conventional braai, turning a few times. Cook to preference.
- Spritz with lemon juice and season with salt and pepper before serving with the tzatziki.
To make the tzatziki:
- Place the grated zucchini on a clean kitchen towel or muslin and wring several times until all the liquid has been squeezed out. When drained, place it in a bowl with all the other ingredients and mix. Season to taste.
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I once made ice-cream with organic gooseberries (growing in our garden). The recipe was a litchi and gooseberry ice-cream if I remember correctly. The litchis were the tinned variety and very un-organic. The ice-cream was delicious though!
We went to the market in Oranjezig and I made raw brownies from coconut oil, bananas, cocoa, seeds and nuts bought at the market. It tasted amazing but it still needs some tweaking and it needs to be kept cool or it’s just a very unappetizing blob! Love the market and to explore it as try to make something new each weekend. 🙂
Love the idea of an organicly produce wine! The meal look amazing!! Im not very good at coming up with interesting meal idea, love trying new recipes tho… seeing as its summer and weather getting hotter, a summer tart like a pavlova or a sorbet with lovely organic fruit!
I’ve never tried ostrich but your kebabs look mouthwatering!
So tempting Sam! In New Zealand I will have to use lamb instead!
I have a recipe for red wine chocolate cake that I absolutely love, and it really helps to use good quality wine. I’d be really interested to try using Earthbound Cabernet Sauvignon next time I make it!
Wow, this is a new food for me, but it looks delish! 🙂
I made pizza bases from cauliflower grown in my dad’s garden ages ago and all it had on was some rocket and tomatoes because i had been determined to only use everything from the garden…it tasted…..OK! needed alot of work and that is way I follow your blog… inspiration galore! Happy heritage day tomorrow!
I love that you Greekified the ostrich, it looks fantastic! Looking forward to Braai Day! 🙂
As for organic produce, I’ll opt for a fresh green salad with some mangoes and chicken and a vinaigrette made from a Chenin Blanc.
Thanks Ursula x
Hi Sune, your chenin blanc vinaigrette sounds amazing. I want this recipe. Please 🙂
Hi Tieghan, yeah I imagine Ostrich is not big in the states at all. But it should be.
Hi Julie, I have always wanted to make the red wine chocolate cake. I believe you just replace the milk with the red win in any recipe?
You have now reminded me to do this. Thanks
Hi Vaughn, thanks for that, Im become increasingly interested in raw food. Its time to get a dehydrator I think.
HI Ashley – wow – gooseberries and litchis sounds super interesting. I love that idea.
I love ostrich and these kebabs look delicious! I would love to try the organic wine – am a huge fan of red wine but also am a massive advocate of sustainability so organic wine is the perfect solution! An organic “recipe”: any organic fruits and veg made into smoothies for breakfast / snacks.
I grow a lot of my own veggies in my garden and there is absolutely nothing and divine as freshly picked cauliflower roasted in the oven with a bit of Parmesan. Nom Nom
My go to side dish at the moment is sweet potatoes out of the garden peeled and cut up, put into a cooking bag with stick cinnamon a spoon of brown sugar and full fat margarine and into the oven till soft…and I do the same with baby carrots out the garden…
Go organic! Looks delicious Sam!
Sam, this looks delicious. Tzaziki is one of my favourite things and I will most certainly have to make it during the hot summer months…!
I’m a huge organic gardening fiend and am growing a ridiculous amount of passion fruits for Summery dishes such as sorbet and my favourite MCC and passion fruit cocktails. Now that’s winning at life
I am a bit old school, but I love to preserve all the organic fruit and Veg from our garden, I made myself a promise that this year we will be making Ice Cream with some of the fruit and herbs so it should be Interesting! Holding thumbs its going to be Delicious!
Hey Sam, do you think this marinade will work for ostrich boerewors too? It’s for a braai at the guest house and I don’t eat meat? And do you make your own salt rub or buy it? Last meat question, would you serve a ‘sauce’ with beef fillet? Thanks so much?!?!!!!
Hi Brooke. Boerewors doesnt normally needs a marinade – thus is best suited for meat as its quite liquid based vs thick BBQ style. Salt rub? not sure what you are talking about here? I dont use a lot of rubs. If I rub ribbs or fillet I will do my own. Normally a varitty of flavours. Ive done a couple of rib recipes on the site. I love a sauce with my fillet, I think at the least mustard, but something like a good béarnaise, mushroom, pepper or mustard sauce works well.
Hi Sam! Yes, I think you can just replace the milk with red wine in a chocolate cake recipe, but I’ve never experimented… I normally use Smitten Kitchen’s recipe, and it’s always worked really well for me. I’d love to see your take on the idea, though!