Lamb and Pomegranate Shawarma
Iain Bagwell
For the easiest prep and biggest hit of flavor, slather the meat with tangy pomegranate-molasses marinade ahead of time; ditto for the tahini dressing. Then it’s quick to grill! Slice the lamb, mix it with mint, pomegranate seeds, and the dressing, and set it out with lettuce and warm pita breads.
This recipe, and others like it, can be found in the article “The Recipes You Should Be Cooking in October.”
How to Make It
Pomegranate Marinade
1
In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper.
Shawarma
2
Put marinade and lamb* in a resealable plastic bag, seal, and squish to mix. Chill at least 4 and up to 24 hours.
3
Heat a grill to high (450° to 550°). Grill lamb and onion rings, turning once, until onions are slightly softened and charred and lamb is medium-rare (cut to test), 7 to 13 minutes total. Transfer to a board and let rest 5 minutes. Roughly chop onions. Cut meat from bones and thinly slice.
4
In a bowl, combine lamb and any juices, onions, 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, and the mint. Set out a platter with lamb, pita, lettuce, tahini dressing, and the remaining pomegranate seeds for build-your-own sandwiches.
Tahini Dressing
5
In a bowl, whisk together sesame tahini, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, water, finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, minced garlic, kosher salt, and cayenne.
*Lamb chops vary in size and tenderness, with loin being smaller and more tender but also more expensive.
Ingredients
Shawarma
Pomegranate Marinade (recipe below)
1 ½ lbs lamb chops* (loin, sirloin, or shoulder, 1⁄2 to 11⁄2 in. thick), fat trimmed
1 medium red onion, sliced into 1⁄4-in.-thick rings
⅔ cup pomegranate seeds
¼ cup mint leaves, torn
4 pita breads, cut in half (briefly warm on grill if you like)
3 cups roughly chopped lettuce
Tahini Dressing (recipe below)
Pomegranate Marinade
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
Tahini Dressing
6 tbsp sesame tahini
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp minced garlic
½ tsp kosher salt
⅛ tsp cayenne
Directions
Pomegranate Marinade
1
In a bowl, whisk together olive oil, pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, minced garlic, ground cumin, kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper.
Shawarma
2
Put marinade and lamb* in a resealable plastic bag, seal, and squish to mix. Chill at least 4 and up to 24 hours.
3
Heat a grill to high (450° to 550°). Grill lamb and onion rings, turning once, until onions are slightly softened and charred and lamb is medium-rare (cut to test), 7 to 13 minutes total. Transfer to a board and let rest 5 minutes. Roughly chop onions. Cut meat from bones and thinly slice.
4
In a bowl, combine lamb and any juices, onions, 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, and the mint. Set out a platter with lamb, pita, lettuce, tahini dressing, and the remaining pomegranate seeds for build-your-own sandwiches.
Tahini Dressing
5
In a bowl, whisk together sesame tahini, lemon juice, extra-virgin olive oil, water, finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, minced garlic, kosher salt, and cayenne.
*Lamb chops vary in size and tenderness, with loin being smaller and more tender but also more expensive.
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