Kafta bi'l-Karaz
(Grilled Ground Lamb and Cherries on Skewers)
Syria
A famous preparation from Aleppo is called kabab bi'l-karaz, kebabs with cherries. A special kind of cherry found around Aleppo is used, the St. Lucie's cherry (Prunus mahaleb L.), which is a small, bitter, crimson-colored black cherry. You can use either canned sour cherries or fresh pitted cherries. This recipe is a version in which the lamb meat is ground first as a kafta.
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- 1 pound ground lamb
- 2 teaspoons baharat
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Ten 8- to 10-inch-long wooden skewers
- 50 pitted fresh black or Bing cherries or canned sour cherries
- In a medium-size bowl, knead together the lamb, baharat, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, using wet hands to keep the meat from sticking. Transfer to a food processor and process until the meat is smooth and pasty. Form into balls the size of a large olive and skewer them interspersed with cherries, using 5 balls of meat and 4 or 5 cherries per skewer. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill for 15 minutes on high. Place the skewers on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until the meat is browned and springy to the touch, about 10 minutes.
Makes 4 servings.
From "A Mediterranean Feast" by Clifford A. Wright
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