Martini Shish KaBob

Author: Martin Kimeldorf Status: published license cc-by-nc tags: shish, kabob, AnAwesomeShot, 0   Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

As we enter the dog days of summer, think the tingling, tasty mediterrean meal of shish kabob. Recipe follows...
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This is a blend of my three favorite shish-kabob recipes. It is exotic and will give your gourmand spirit wings. Veggie options include onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, bell peppers. This recipe has a Persian or Middle Eastern hint, with indigenous folk ingredients to tingle your tongue…

Ingreeds
2-3 lbs. lamb (no bone)
veggies: green peppers, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms

Basic Shish
8 crushed garlic cloves
1 Tbs. dried rosemary
1 Tbs. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 Tbs. oregano
2 tsp. mint
1 cup red wine
½ cup sweet vermouth. I prefer a more Mediterranean, sweeter flavor and use pomegranate juice.
1/4 cup gin

Optional and Exotic KaBobs
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. cardamom, ground
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
8 to 10 juniper berries

Steps
In a one quart non-metallic container or large plastic baggie, and as many ingredients as you have a mind to enjoy. (I use them all). Then taste test. If it is too sweet add some lemon or vinegar, and if you want sweeter or saltier add vermouth/pomegranate or salt. Know this: when you bbq on high heat, about 75% of the marinade flavor disappears, so don’t be put off by strong flavors in a raw marinade.

Reserve about ¼ cup of the marinade and blend with ½ cup oil. Set aside for veggies.
Cut your veggies large, tomatoes, peppers, onions in quarters lengthwise, and leave mushrooms whole. Cut lamb into 2 inch cubes and marinate it for at 8 to 12+ hours. Coat all the veggies and meat in a large non-metallic bowl or large baggies, and let marinate covered.

Skewer everything through the thickest spot, typically lengthwise. With single skewers, penetrate each item twice. I prefer the double-prong skewers made by Webber. And if you have trouble with skewers, use a bbq basket for utter simplicity.

Use direct heat grilling, with the lid up. Grill the lamb first, 2 minutes per side, turned once for a total of 4 minutes. Test for doneness (my favorite part of cooking). You can grill the onions at the same time as the meat. Grill all veggies until they just start to blacken. Onions can take 4 minutes, but peppers and tomatoes take a bit less, like 2 minutes. And for mushrooms, just touch them with the kiss of the fire.

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