Shish Kebab

Name: Shish Kebab
Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless lamb cut from the leg with its fat into 1/2-inch cubes; 1 cup high-quality full-fat plain yogurt; 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil; 3 tablespoons onion juice (from 1 grated medium-size onion); Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste; 8 (10-inch) metal or wooden skewers; 4 pita bread; 1 cup Cacik, recipe follows; Recipe courtesy Clifford Wright; 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated; Salt, to taste; 3 garlic cloves, mashed; 2 cups thick, high-quality full-fat plain yogurt; 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill; 3/4 teaspoon dried mint; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

16 ingredients

14 steps

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless lamb cut from the leg with its fat into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup high-quality full-fat plain yogurt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons onion juice (from 1 grated medium-size onion)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
8 (10-inch) metal or wooden skewers
4 pita bread
1 cup Cacik, recipe follows
Recipe courtesy Clifford Wright
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and grated
Salt, to taste
3 garlic cloves, mashed
2 cups thick, high-quality full-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
3/4 teaspoon dried mint
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1

Skewer the lamb cubes on the skewers.
2

Stir together the yogurt, olive oil and onion juice in a glass or ceramic pan or bowl and season with salt and pepper.
3

Add the lamb skewers, coat with the marinade and refrigerate, covered, for 4 hours.
4

Prepare a charcoal fire and let it die down a bit or preheat a gas grill for 15 minutes on low.
5

Set the skewers on a skewer holder over the fire and grill until golden brown and succulent, turning often, about 20 minutes.
6

Or, lacking a skewer holder, place them on the grill and grill to perfection.
7

Serve with or on a piece grill-warmed pita bread and the cacik on the side.
8

Toss grated cucumber with a light sprinkling of salt.
9

Leave for 30 minutes.
10

Drain the cucumber, squeezing out all the liquid.
11

Pound the garlic in a mortar with 1 teaspoon salt until completely mashed.
12

Stir the garlic into the yogurt and beat with a fork until smooth.
13

Stir in the cucumber, the dill, mint and olive oil and stir until the consistency of a thick soup.
14

Refrigerate for an hour and serve cold.