Armenian Shish Kebab

Serves: 4-8 patrons

 

 

Marinade ingredients:

 

Make 2 separate batches of the marinade, one to marinate the meat, one to use as a basting sauce for the vegatables and meat while grilling.  Chill basting sauce until ready to use.

 

 

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, approximately ½ lemon

 

1 teaspoon cider vinegar

 

1 tablespoon minced garlic

 

¼ teaspoon salt

 

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

 

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

 

¼ teaspoon dried rosemary leaves

 

2 small bay leaves

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 ½ pound lamb roast, cut into 1 1/2” cubes, fat removed

 

 

 

Chef’s Note: Chicken or beef may also be used. Adjust meat cooking time accordingly.

 

 

 

16 bulbing onions, peeled and boiled for 10 minutes

 

2  8” long Italian or green zucchini, cut into 1” thick slices

 

2 large green bell peppers, cut in half, stemmed, seeded, and each half cut in 4 pieces 

 

16 crimini mushroom caps, cleaned and stems trimmed even with the bottom of the mushroom cap

 

 

 

Chef’s Note: Trimming the mushroom stem so that it is level with the bottom of the cap provides additional stability for holding onto the skewer and not rotating.

 

 

 

16  2”ripe tomatoes or 8 ripe plum tomatoes, cut in half across the middle

 

 

Directions:

 

Stir together olive oil, lemon juice, cider vinegar, and garlic; salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves. Add lamb and stir until well coated. Cover and chill twelve hours.

 

Arrange wood in a single layer in bottom of a grill. Lite and allow to burn down to hot, gray ash covered coals. Place grill rack above coals.

 

Remove lamb from marinade. Place on a plate to drain. Then thread loosely onto flat blade metal skewers.

 

 

 

Chef’s Note:  Meat and vegetables tend to rotate on a round skewer.

 

 

 

Discard marinade.

 

Thread each type of vegetable on a separate metal skewer.

 

 

 

Chef’s Note: Each vegetable requires a different cooking time. By separating them, the correct degree of doneness is assured for each vegetable.

 

 

 

Brush skewered vegetables with basting sauce.

 

Place skewers on the grill rack.

 

First place the onion and zucchini skewers on the grill (17 minutes total cooking time).

 

Two minutes later, place the lamb on the grill (15 minutes total cooking time).

 

Three minutes later, place the peppers on the grill (12 minutes total cooking time).

 

Four minutes later, place the mushrooms and tomatoes on the grill (8 minutes total cooking time).

 

Turn each skewer, one quarter turn, and  brush with basting sauce every time a new set of vegetables is placed on the grill.

 

 

 

Chef’s Note: Cooking time will vary depending on the level of heat given off by the coals. If a vegetable appears done before its time, remove to platter and cover with tin foil.

 

 

 

Carefully remove skewers from grill and allow to cool on a platter until skewers are cool enough to handle.

 

Remove skewers from meat or vegetable and set aside.

 

Reassemble meat and vegetables on 10” wooden skewers, alternating lamb, onions, peppers, mushrooms, zucchini and tomatoes.

 

Serve 1-2 shish kebabs per patron.