One of our favorite ways to infuse plain rice with flavor is to cook the grains with sautéed scallions (shallots and onions work just as well!). Alongside, there’s a delicious pork tenderloin seasoned with a bold BBQ spice mix. Skewers make everything more fun, but don’t forget to pre-soak wooden ones in water so they’re able to withstand high heat. Cook, relax, and enjoy!

What you’ll need:
4 scallions
1 corn cob
1 green bell pepper
1 medium red onion
4, 10-in wooden skewers
½ cup basmati rice
12 oz pork tenderloin
2 tsp smoky BBQ spice mix
⅓ cup ajvar red pepper spread
coarse salt
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Equipment:
grill or grill pan
small saucepan

Recipe steps:

1. Prep ingredients
   Preheat broiler or grill to medium-high. Trim scallions and thinly slice, separating whites and greens. Remove husk from corn, and cut kernels off cob. Cut sides away from pepper and discard stem and core. Cut pepper into 1 ½-inch squares. Halve and peel onion and cut into 1 ½-inch cubes. Soak skewers in a shallow dish of water to prevent them from burning.

2. Make pilaf
   Heat 1 tablespoon oil in small saucepan over medium. Add scallion whites and cook until soft, about 1 minute. Add rice and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add 1 cup water and ½ teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook until water is absorbed and rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Mix in corn, cover, and set aside.

3. Prep pork
   Cut the pork into 1½ inch cubes. Toss with 1 tablespoon oil and BBQ spice mix.

4. Assemble skewers
   Toss the peppers and onion with 1 tablespoon oil, then thread the pork, peppers, and onion interchangeably onto the skewers, seasoning well with salt and pepper.

5. Grill skewers
   Place the skewers on the grill (or on a grill pan over medium-high heat), until browned and cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Alternatively, place on a rimmed baking sheet and broil 6 inches from the heat source, turning occasionally until cooked through, 8-10 minutes.

6. Finish rice and serve
   Fluff rice with a fork and serve with skewers. Top dish with scallion greens, and serve ajvar alongside for dipping and spreading. Enjoy!

See what else is cooking this week!