The appeal of cooking food on sticks over a fire is nearly universal, crossing cultures and generations alike. Kebabs of eggplant and lamb (or beef, as seen here) with Middle Eastern accents make a nice dinner, as does a version with monkfish, bacon, and potato. In the third recipe, halloumi cheese shares skewer space with fresh figs and bright tomatoes for a terrific first course. Whichever you choose, leave some space between items on the kebab to help them cook evenly.
Pomegranate-Glazed Lamb and Eggplant Kebabs
Makes 8 kebabs
I like the easy prep and creamy texture of Japanese eggplants, but you can substitute 12 mini eggplants (2 to 2½ inches long), trimmed and cut in half crosswise, or a globe eggplant cut into 1-inch pieces. If you don’t like lamb, beef sirloin tips work, too.
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1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons minced or grated garlic (about 6 medium cloves)
1 tablespoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
¼ cup pomegranate molasses
3 tablespoons honey
Kosher salt and pepper
2½ pounds boneless lamb leg, trimmed of fat and cut into 1½-inch pieces (about 1¾ pounds prepped)
2 Japanese eggplants (about 12 inches long/8 ounces each), trimmed and cut into 24 1-inch pieces
2 medium red onions, peeled, halved, and each half cut into 4 equal chunks
Neutral oil, for the grill
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint, for sprinkling
In a small skillet over medium heat, heat 2½ tablespoons of the olive oil along with the garlic, coriander, and cumin, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1½ minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a large nonreactive bowl, whisk the pomegranate molasses and honey until uniform. Add the oil-garlic mixture and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper and whisk to blend. Reserve ¼ cup of the mixture and refrigerate, covered, until needed. Add the lamb to the remaining mixture, toss to coat evenly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 and up to 24 hours, stirring occasionally.
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In a large bowl, gently toss the eggplant and onion pieces with the remaining olive oil to coat. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and toss again. Thread a pair of skewers, spaced about ¼ inch apart, with alternating pieces of lamb, onion, and eggplant, starting and ending with lamb or onion; repeat with the remaining lamb, onion, and eggplant on the remaining skewers.
To finish, remove the reserved pomegranate mixture from the fridge to lose its chill. Prepare a hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on high. (If using gas, adjust the burners to medium-high and grill with the lid closed.) Clean and oil the grill grate. Grill the kebabs, turning them every 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion and eggplant chunks are tender and the lamb is well-browned but still pink inside (medium-rare), 10 to 12 minutes. Remove kebabs from the grill and rest for about 5 minutes. Strain the reserved pomegranate mixture if desired and drizzle it over the kebabs. Sprinkle them with the mint and serve at once.
Monkfish, Bacon, and Spiced Potato Kebabs
Makes 8 Kebabs
Because the tail ends of the monkfish fillets are thinner, cut them a little longer and fold them over when you thread them onto the skewers.
1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
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1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Kosher salt and pepper
16 small creamer or Red Bliss potatoes, scrubbed and halved
2½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 monkfish fillets (about 6 ounces each), membranes removed if necessary, each fillet cut into 4 1½-inch pieces
2 medium red onions, peeled, halved, and each half cut into 4 equal chunks
Neutral oil, for the grill
8 slices thick-cut bacon, each cut crosswise into 3 pieces
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley, for sprinkling
Lemon wedges, for serving
In a small bowl, mix the thyme, paprika, coriander, onion powder, cumin, allspice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper to combine. In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave the potatoes on high until just barely tender, about 5 minutes, tossing gently about halfway through cooking time. When cool enough to handle, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and toss to coat. Add the spice mixture, toss to coat, and transfer the potatoes to a plate. In the empty bowl, gently toss the monkfish, onions, and the remaining olive oil to coat. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and toss again.
Thread a pair of skewers, spaced about ¼ inch apart, with alternating potato halves (piercing the potatoes so that the skewer runs parallel with the cut sides, with all the cut sides facing the same way), onion, bacon (fold each piece in half or thirds), and monkfish, starting and ending with potatoes; repeat with the remaining potato halves, onion, bacon, and monkfish on the remaining skewers.
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Meanwhile, prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on high. (If using gas, adjust the burners to medium-high and grill with the lid closed.) Clean and oil the grill grate. Grill the kebabs, turning them every 3 to 4 minutes, until the potatoes and onions are tender and grill-marked, the bacon is cooked, and the monkfish is opaque all the way through, 10 to 13 minutes. Remove kebabs from the grill, rest for about 5 minutes, sprinkle with the parsley, and serve at once with lemon wedges.
Halloumi, Fig, and Tomato Kebabs
Makes 8 kebabs
An 8-ounce block of halloumi will yield 6 pieces for this recipe, so you’ll need 4 blocks.
2 pounds halloumi cheese, dried and cut into 24 1-inch-by-1½-inch pieces
24 Campari, pearl, or large cherry tomatoes (about 1½ pounds total)
16 medium-large fresh figs (about 1¼ pounds total), stems removed
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing and drizzling
Salt and pepper
Neutral oil, for the grill
1/3 cup mixed chopped fresh herbs, such as parsley, basil, mint, chives, or scallion greens, for sprinkling
Lemon wedges, for serving
Thread a pair of skewers, spaced about ¼ inch apart, with alternating pieces of halloumi, tomatoes, and figs, beginning and ending with halloumi or tomatoes; repeat with the remaining halloumi pieces, tomatoes, and figs on the remaining skewers. Brush the kebabs with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
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Meanwhile, prepare a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill on high. (If using gas, adjust the burners to medium-high and grill with the lid closed.) Clean and oil the grill grate. Grill the kebabs, turning frequently, until the halloumi is browned and the tomatoes and figs are grill-marked, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer the kebabs to a serving platter, drizzle them lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with the herbs, and serve at once with lemon wedges.
Adam Ried appears regularly on America’s Test Kitchen. Send comments to cooking@globe.com.