It’s really started heating up in NYC and I’ve been getting the itch to BBQ. Sadly, I’m not allowed to hang a BBQ out my 7th floor window, so I have to make due with my broiler. It’s not quite the same as a charcoal grill, but you can get results close to that of a gas grill with a bit of practice.
The key is to preheat a broiler pan or some kind of grill rack in the broiler so it gets nice and hot. Then you get some searing action on one side, while the other is exposed to the direct heat. You’ll want to experiment with times and positions to adjust for your particular oven, but it’s not rocket science.
When grilling it’s important to have a good basting brush. You want something that’s heat resistant and has a reasonably long handle so you don’t singe the hairs off your hand. These silicon ones do a pretty good job and have the added benefit of being able to go in the dishwasher for easy cleanup. The one drawback is that they don’t hold a ton of your basting liquid so you may need to dip more frequently that a regular brush, but I find the benefits outweigh this minor inconvenience.
I like using a simple Mediterranean marinade, but there are a lot of possible spices you can add. The thing that really makes this marinade for me is the pomegranate molasses. It’s made by reducing pomegranate juice until it has the consistency of molasses. I found a bottle at Wholefoods, but you should be able to find it in the “ethnic” aisle of a large supermarket, or at Middle Eastern grocery stores.
This marinade is nice and refreshing and does a great job of covering up that odor that lamb has. The pomegranate molasses adds a puckering tartness, honey-like sweetness and great floral aroma that works really well with lamb.
I like to serve these kebabs over a salad made with wheat berries and quinoa, but they’re great over saffron rice or tabbouleh.
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