‘Lamb Kebabs with Georgian Adzhika Sauce’

Recipe from Diana Henry's A Change of Appetite cookbook

Recipe from Diana Henry’s A Change of Appetite cookbook

 I can’t say enough about Diana Henry’s latest cookbook, A Change of Appetite.  A modern approach to omnivorian eating, this creative cookbook is filled with seasonal recipes and menu ideas that make the most of each season’s freshest produce, as well as high quality meats and seafood.  With a mélange of truly unique recipes and ideas, this cookbook reads like a novel and is hard to put down!

The first recipe I decided on from this cookbook, I was super impressed.  Tender cubed lamb flavored with the warmth of cinnamon, the spiciness of cayenne pepper, and the unique flavor of allspice, threaded on skewers and grilled until medium rare. The warmth of these spices pairs beautifully with this Georgian (the country, not the state…) spicy salsa: a blend of red pepper, garlic, red chilies, celery and fresh herbs that has just the right amount of heat to it.  An impressive and super satisfying dish that will make you want to cook each and every one of Diana Henry’s magical recipes!

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(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Lamb Kebabs with Georgian Adzhika Sauce’

  • Prep time:
  • Cook time:
  • Total time:
  • Yield: 6
  • Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

  • Recipe from Diana Henry’s cookbook, A Change of Appetite
  • 1 1/2 lb. cubed leg of lamb
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed
  • For the adzhika:
  • 4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
  • 1 celery stick, coarsely chopped
  • 4 red chiles, chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 cup dill leaves
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
  • 3 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

  1. Trim the lamb of any fat or sinew. Mix all the other ingredients for the kebabs in a bowl and put the lamb in it. Turn the meat over in the marinade, cover with plastic wrap, and put in the fridge to marinate for 2 to 24 hours. Turn the meat every so often. Soak six bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes so they won’t burn on the grill pan.
  2. To make the adzhika, put the garlic in the bowl of a food processor and blend. Add the celery, chiles, and bell pepper and pulse to a salsa-like mixture. Add the herbs and pulse about three times; you don’t want a puree, just a rough, lumpy mix. Scrape into a bowl and add salt, vinegar and oil.
  3. Thread the lamb cubes onto the skewers and season with salt. Cook on a hot grill pan until golden brown all over, turning them regularly. It’s best if they are still rare in the middle, so these only need about seven minutes in total. Serve with the adzhika sauce.

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