The tomato of choice for skewering seems to be small, round and red, but give me thick wedges of beefsteaks or Cherokee purples any day. Why? Because cherry tomatoes tend to burst, and grape tomatoes’ skins get tough.
In this recipe, the wedges’ natural crannies hold just enough marinade to complement the tomatoes’ acidity. That marinade doesn’t look like much to start with, but as the meat nears medium-rare doneness, its coating turns to a nice glaze. The vegetables pick up a little caramelized char, as well.
If you don’t have access to an outdoor grill, cook the bite-size lamb pieces in two batches in a stove-top grill pan or cast-iron skillet. Toss in the scallions, tomatoes and red bell peppers, if you like, for the last five minutes of cook time.
Pomegranate-Glazed Lamb Kebabs
4 servings
If you are using bamboo skewers rather than metal (8 to 12), soak them in water for 30 minutes before prepping the ingredients. The kebabs can be cooked on the outdoor grill. Serve with pita bread, shredded lettuce and yogurt. Adapted from “K Food: Korean Home Cooking and Street Food,” by Da-Hae and Gareth West (Mitchell Beazley, 2016).
8 to 12 cloves garlic
¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
½ cup 100 percent pomegranate juice
¼ cup honey
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1½ pounds boneless leg of lamb
4 scallions
1 large beefsteak tomato (may substitute another big, juicy tomato)
½ red bell pepper (optional)
Mince the garlic. Transfer to a gallon-size zip-top bag along with the soy sauce, pomegranate juice, honey and vinegar. Seal and shake.
Trim and discard large bits of fat from the lamb as you cut it into bite-size chunks. Add the meat to the bag; seal, pressing out as much air as possible. Let sit for 20 minutes.
Cut the white and light green parts of the scallions into 2-inch pieces. Cut the tomato into ½-inch-thick slices, then cut each of those into 3 wedges. Cut the red bell pepper into chunks, if using. Toss those vegetables into the marinade for the last 5 minutes of meat marinating time.
Preheat a large cast-iron griddle or cast-iron grill pan over medium heat.
Thread the kebab components onto the skewers starting a few inches down from the blunt end: lamb, scallion, tomato, lamb, red bell pepper, if using. Repeat. Discard marinade.
Grease the griddle or grill pan with cooking oil spray, then arrange the skewers on the hot pan. Cook for 3 minutes on the first side, then turn the kebabs as needed during the next 7 minutes or so to brown the meat on all sides. The meat will be done once its glaze becomes apparent (medium-rare). The vegetables should be just softened.
Transfer to a platter; let the kebabs sit for 2 minutes before serving.
