Lamb Kebabs with Pomegranate Dressing and Herbed Yoghurt

From issue #6.
Photography by Photography by Simon Devitt.
Lamb Kebabs with Pomegranate Dressing and Herbed Yoghurt

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

800 grams lamb leg steaks
3 lemons
100 mls extra virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon dried wild oregano
handful fresh bay leaves
24 shallots

Dressing
3 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
2 tablespoons lemon juice
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 teaspoons honey
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
2 tablespoons each chopped mint
and flat leaf parsley

Herbed Yoghurt
2 cups thick plain yoghurt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
finely grated zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons black mustard seeds
¼ cup mint, roughly chopped

METHOD

Marinade: Cut the lamb into 2cm cubes, trimming off any excess fat and silver skin. Remove thin strips of peel from the lemons using a vegetable peeler. Juice 2 of the lemons and combine with the olive oil, garlic and oregano and pour over the lamb. Season well, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Dressing: Whisk all the ingredients together.

Yoghurt: Combine the yoghurt, garlic and lemon zest in a bowl. Heat the oil in a small saucepan and add the mustard seeds. Cook gently until they start to pop. Tip the oil and seeds into the yoghurt and mix well. Season to taste, and fold through the mint.

Kebabs: Soak 12 long bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes. Blanch the shallots in boiling water for 5 minutes then plunge into cold water. Peel and trim. Thread alternating pieces of lamb, lemon strips, bay leaves and shallots onto the skewers. Heat the barbecue or ridged grill to medium. Grill the kebabs until
the lamb is just done, (pink but not raw) - 4-5 minutes each side.

Place them on a large platter and brush with the pomegranate dressing, pouring over any that remains. Rest for 5 minutes and serve with the herbed yoghurt. Serves 6