Basturma (Georgian Pomegranate Grilled Lamb) Recipe
Servings: 1
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 lb Boneless leg of lamb
- 2 c. Fresh pomegranate juice
- 1 sm Onion, grated
- 2 x Cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 c. Extra virgin extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 c. Fresh cilantro, minced
- 1 x Bay leaf, crushed
- 1 tsp Grnd coriander Freshly grnd black pepper Salt Lemon wedges for serving
Directions
- Cut the lamb into 1 1/2-inch cubes, trimming off excess fat or possibly 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 in the lamb and marinate for at least 4 hrs, 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 kebabs with salt; grill, basting with any excess marinade, till the lamb is cooked to taste, 4 to 6 min per side. Transfer the kebabs 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 kebab
- (Elsewhere in the Near East, the term refers to spiced dry 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 cannot find fresh pomegranates, use pomegranate syrup (sometimes called pomegranate molasses), that is sold in Middle East and Armenian markets.
- Darra Goldstein, author of The Georgian Feast (Harper Collins).
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