Georgian Grilled Lamb with Pomegranate Marinade (Basturma)

I have never been to Georgia, but I love the Georgian dishes I have eaten. This is one of them. Simple but delicious. But then, I love everything made with pomegranates.

2 pounds leg of lamb, boned and cuts into 1½ inch cubes

Marinade

2 cups fresh pomegranate juice

1 small onion, grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup virgin olive oil

¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

1 bay leaf, crushed

1 teaspoon ground coriander

Seasoning and garnish

freshly ground black pepper

salt

lemon wedges

• Prepare the marinade in a large non-reactive bowl (glass or earthenware). 
• Marinade the lamb at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. 
• Thread the lamb on skewers and season with salt and pepper. 
• Broil over a charcoal grill, having oiled the grill, basting with excess sauce about 4-6 minutes per side. (Do not overcook.) 
• Sprinkle with additional cilantro and serve with lemon wedges.

Lamb and Artichoke Stew

This was made by the wife of a Tunisian journalist who, in the late 1980s, had left his country and was living in the US to avoid persecution for reporting on human rights violations in his country.

1 onion, finely chopped

1 kilo of leg of lamb, boned and cubed

6 tablespoons olive oil

1-2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1-2 cup water

9 small artichokes

4 potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

1 cup frozen or fresh green peas

salt and pepper to taste

• In a large heavy pot or Dutch oven sauté the onions in the oil. 
•  Add the meat and brown well. 
•  Add the tomato. 
•  Add water, cover and cook over low to moderate heat until the meat is about half cooked (about 30 minutes). 
• Keep an eye on the stew to ensure there is enough liquid so the meat doesn’t burn. 
• Add the potatoes, the artichokes and the peas if you are using fresh peas, together with another cup or more of water. There should be enough liquid so the vegetables and meat are half covered in liquid. (If you are using frozen peas, these should be added just before the stew is finished.) 
• Continue simmering the meat for another 30 minutes until the meat is soft and the vegetables are cooked. 
•  Season with salt and pepper.

Serve over rice or couscous.

Indonesian Lamb Satay

One of my most popular dishes. I often serve it with tabouli (which is Middle Eastern, not Indonesian), but it can also be served with rice.

Serves 8-10 people.

July 2002 - in Podgorica, Montenegro

Half a leg of lamb (about 3 pounds). A full leg of lamb if you are serving more people. (In this case, double the recipe for the marinade/sauce.) Have the butcher bone the lamb and cut it into small chunks. You, then, simply have to cut the meat into one-inch cubes, trimming away any fat or gristle.

Marinade

½ cup Indonesian soy sauce (or  ½ cup regular soy sauce plus 1 teaspoon of dark molasses)

1 teaspoon of ground hot red pepper (vary according to taste).

¾ cup hot water

½  cup chunky peanut butter (if you prefer, you can reduce the amount of peanut butter to 1/3 cup and add ½ cup ground dry roasted peanuts)

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

juice of a lemon

• Combine all the ingredients for the marinade and bring to a boil in a saucepan, stirring until smooth.
• Remove from the heat and cool to room temperature
• Use half the sauce to marinade the meat or chicken, reserving the remainder of the sauce. Turn meat in the marinade from time to time.
• Marinade the lamb in half the sauce for at least an hour, Skewer lamb on small wooden skewers.
• Cook lamb over charcoal, if possible, otherwise, under the broiler. Do not overcook. Turn the meat as it is cooking. Each skewer should take no more than 5 minutes.
• Serve with hot peanut sauce.

 Additional ingredients for sauce

1 cup tomato sauce

juice of another lemon

1 teaspoon tobasco sauce

¼ cup water or stock

• To the rest of the sauce, add ¼  cup water or stock (beef, chicken or vegetable), the tomato sauce, the juice of another lemon and the tobasco sauce.
• In a small saucepan, bring the ingredients to a boil – and then remove from the heat.
• Adjust seasoning – you can add more lemon juice, more tobasco sauce.
• Serve sauce as an accompaniment to the skewered lamb or chicken.