Spiedini all'Alloro

cubes of pork threaded onto skewers between whole fresh bay leaves and grilled, so the laurel scents and perfumes the meat as it cooks, a simple and ancient Mediterranean way with the leaf

Origin: Italy

From the journey of Bay Leaf.

One of the oldest and simplest uses of the laurel, alloro, in the Italian kitchen is also one of the most direct: the bay leaf is not dropped into a simmering pot but threaded whole onto a skewer between chunks of meat, so that as the spiedini grill over the fire the leaves scorch a little and release their fragrance straight into the pork. The technique is found the length of the Mediterranean, from Italy through the Balkans and into Turkey, and it shows the bay in a rare starring role, its eucalyptus-and-clove perfume mingling with the smoke and the fat. The pork is cut into cubes, marinated simply in olive oil, garlic, lemon, and pepper, then built onto the skewers in the order of meat, bay leaf, meat, bay leaf, often with a square of bread or a piece of onion or pancetta between, and grilled until charred at the edges and juicy within. It is the food of the grill and the festa, eaten hot from the skewer, and a reminder that the quiet background herb of the stockpot can also be a flavour to lead.

Ingredients

The Skewers

800 g pork shoulder or neck, cut into 3cm cubes
40 fresh bay leaves (or soaked dried bay leaves)
150 g rustic bread, cut into 3cm cubes (optional)
1 red onion, cut into wedges (optional)

The Marinade

4 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 lemon, zest and juice
1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed (optional)
salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste

Method

Toss the pork cubes with the olive oil, garlic, lemon zest and juice, fennel seeds, salt, and plenty of pepper. Cover and marinate for at least an hour, or overnight.
If using dried bay leaves, soak them in warm water for 30 minutes so they are pliable and do not crumble or burn; fresh leaves can be used as they are. Soak wooden skewers too, if using.
Thread the skewers, alternating cubes of pork with whole bay leaves, and a cube of bread or a wedge of onion every so often, packing them snugly together.
Grill over hot coals or under a hot grill, turning, for 12 to 15 minutes, until the pork is charred at the edges, cooked through, and juicy, and the bay leaves are toasted and fragrant.
Rest for a few minutes, then serve hot on the skewers, with lemon wedges. The bay leaves are not eaten.

Notes

The same method suits cubes of firm fish, chicken thigh, or lamb, and is found across the Mediterranean and the Balkans. In Italy a square of caul fat or pancetta is sometimes wrapped around the pork. The bread cubes, grilled crisp and soaked in the meat juices, are a prized part of the dish. Use only true bay (Laurus nobilis); the leaves flavour but are not eaten.

The Gastrographer

Name: Spiedini all'Alloro
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 1 h 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Italy
Ingredients: 800 g pork shoulder or neck, cut into 3cm cubes; 40 fresh bay leaves (or soaked dried bay leaves); 150 g rustic bread, cut into 3cm cubes (optional); 1 red onion, cut into wedges (optional); 4 tbsp olive oil; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 1 lemon, zest and juice; 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed (optional); salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste

Mapping Culinary History

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control