Basturma (Georgian Pomegranate Grilled Lamb)

Recipe Ingredients

1 3/4 lbs	794g / 28oz	Boneless leg of lamb
		For The Marinade
2 cups	474ml	Fresh pomegranate juice
1 cup	62g / 2.2oz	Onion - grated (small)
2		Garlic - minced
1/4 cup	59ml	Extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup	4g / 0.1oz	Fresh cilantro - chopped
1		Bay leaf - crushed
1 teaspoon	5ml	Ground coriander
		Freshly ground black pepper
		Salt
		Lemon wedges for serving

Recipe Instructions

Cut the lamb into 1 1/2-inch cubes, trimming off excess fat or sinew. (Leave a little fat intact.)

Prepare the marinade. To juice a fresh pomegranate, cut it in half and press it on a citrus reamer. Strain juice into a large non-reactive bowl. Stir in the remaining marinade ingredients. Add the lamb and marinate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Thread lamb onto skewers and season with salt and pepper. Build the fire and let it die down to embers. Oil the grill. Rake a 1-inch layer of glowing coals beneath it. Generously season the kabobs with salt; grill, basting with any excess marinade, until the lamb is cooked to taste, 4 to 6 minutes per side.

Transfer the kabobs to a platter, sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.

NOTES : In the Republic of Georgia, basturma is a sort of shish kabob (Elsewhere in the Near East, the term refers to spiced dried meat and is etymologically related to our word pastrami.) Georgians love the combination of fruit and meat with pomegranate juice as a common seasoning. If you can't find fresh pomegranates, use pomegranate syrup (sometimes called pomegranate molasses), which is sold in Middle East and Armenian markets.

This recipe comes from Darra Goldstein, author of The Georgian Feast (Harper Collins).

Source:
Bobby Flay and Jack McDavid

Rating

Average rating:

Unrated, please add a rating

Submit your rating:

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10

Click a star to rate this recipe.