Armenian Shish Kebab Recipe

Armenian Shish Kebab is a classic lamb dish, served hot off the barbecue or grill.

Springtime, lamb, and anything charcoal-grilled seem made for each other. Classic Armenian Shish Kebab is a fairly simple dish that, nonetheless, impresses any guest at the barbecue. While the meat is easy to prepare, it is truly best if marinated at least overnight before grilling.

Ingredients:

**1. Chaimen mix (basic Armenian spice mixture of fenugreek, allspice, cayenne pepper, cumin and paprika)
2. 1 can of tomato paste
3. Minced fresh garlic, onion and parsley (for a 4- 5 pounds of cubed lamb off the bone, used about 3 cloves of garlic, one small onion and about a half cup of parsley)
4. Boneless leg of lamb, cubed into approximately 1 inch chunks
5. One 16 oz. can of whole, stewed plum tomatoes
6. 2 red and 2 green peppers (whole)
7. 4 – 6 onions, kept whole
8. Olive oil
9. Salt and pepper (to taste)

**Chaimen is a unique spice blend that gives Armenian meats, vegetable dishes and casseroles their unmistakable flavor. It’s a simple mix to prepare and can be stored, tightly sealed, for months in your spice cupboard.

The basic dry mix of Chaimen consists of :

1 part Allspice
1 part Cayenne Pepper
1 part Fenugreek
1 part Cumin
2 parts Paprika
1 part cinnamon (optional)

When preparing Armenian meat dishes, the dry spice mix is added to crushed garlic cloves, parsley, and tomato paste and then thinned to the consistency of a thick cream, either with olive oil or plain yoghurt.

The mixture to then rubbed on lamb or chicken and allowed to marinate for at least an hour before grilling or roasting.

For vegetable dishes or casseroles, (often using eggplant or green beans), add the spice mix (to taste – but remember, it’s strongly flavored), along with chopped garlic, parsley and tomato paste and stew, covered, on top of the stove. Onions added to such dishes prior to the cooking process is also very traditional.


Also needed:

Enough steel skewers to easily handle the leg of lamb chunks. Square skewers are
best because they keep foods from spinning. They are hard to find.

Charcoal, wood (or if you must) gas-fired barbecue fire, burned to a hot, but low, steady glow. (You do not want the meat to cook too quickly, as that makes it tough and burnt)

Big, covered pot (soup kettle works well) to hold the finished meat/vegetables, while the rest cooks.

Procedure:

1. In a large bowl mix about ¼ cup of the chaimen spice mix (for one 4 – 5 pound leg of cubed lamb) with I can of tomato paste, the minced garlic, the minced onion and the minced parsley, until well incorporated.
2. Add the cubed meat, mix well to thoroughly coat each cube, cover at refrigerate overnight. It is very important that the meat be given at least 6 – 8 hours to marinate.
3. When ready to cook, take the cubes of lamb and skewer onto the metal skewers, so that the cubes touch – but are not packed too tightly. The cubes should not be “dripping” with the marinating past – but leaving some on is good.
4. Place the skewers on a hot, well-coaled (but not flaming) barbecue and grill, turning each skewer to expose each side of the meat to the fire. Cooking time varies with the fire’s temperature, but the meat should be kept on the fire until it is well-browned on all sides and cooked to at least a medium-well on the inside.
5. As the meat cooks, take the peppers and whole onions, coat them with olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper, and broil them on the fire, as well. (The onion could be sliced in half, for more thorough cooking, if desired).
6. Also, as the meat cooks, take the can of whole, stewed tomatoes (juice, as well), pour it into the soup pot, cover and place in the corner of the grill to heat, but not boil.
7. As each skewer become cooked, strip the cubes from the skewer into the pot with the tomatoes – this not only keeps the meat warm, but keeps it very tender, prior to coming to the table. (HINT: if you take the end of the skewer in one hand and, keeping the meat on it stationary with the other hand, give it a gentle twist, the cubes slide off easily).
8. As the peppers and onions grill through and collect some “charring” for flavor, remove them from the grill. (HINT: placing the grilled vegetables in a brown paper bag and sealing it to create some natural steam really helps to cook grilled vegetables through – without burning them).
9. Slice the grilled vegetables into long strips and dump those into the meat pot, as well, keeping everything warm, moist and exchanging their flavors until ready to serve.

Serve hot, with pilaf, taboule, jajik, a tossed salad, and flat-bread