Simple grilled kebabs to serve with rice and Shirazi salad. Start the marinade 30 minutes to an hour before cooking; if you marinate too early, the acid from the lemon juice will cook the kebabs beforehand.

Ingredients

• ¹⁄₂ cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tbsp. ground black pepper, plus more
• 2 tsp. crushed saffron
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken tenders, halved crosswise
• 8 large button mushrooms
• 4 plum tomatoes, cored
• 1 red pepper, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 zucchini, cut into 1-inch rounds
• Kosher salt
• 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
• Lavash or pita, for serving

Instructions

• Stir together juice, oil, salt, pepper, saffron, garlic, and onions in a bowl; add chicken, and toss to coat. Chill for 30 minutes. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, heat a gas grill to medium-high, or heat broiler to high. Season chicken and vegetables with salt and pepper; skewer chicken and vegetables lengthwise on metal skewers. Grill chicken and vegetables, turning often and basting with butter, until vegetables are soft and charred, about 18-20 minutes for vegetables, and chicken is cooked through and slightly charred, about 10 minutes. Serve with Shirazi Salad. Serves 4. Time: 1 hour.

Shirazi Salad

This refreshing salad is made of cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onion.

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 tbsp. finely chopped, fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 5 Persian cucumbers, cut into 1/8″ cubes
• 2 tomatoes, seeds removed, finely chopped
• ¹⁄₂ small red onion, finely chopped

Instructions

• Whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add parsley, cucumbers, tomatoes, and red onions and toss to combine. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4.