A recipe for when you (gasp) grow tired of hot dogs
It’s hot and sticky outside, which means it’s almost definitely too hot and sticky to cook inside. But what should we be doing over the rest of the summer other than eating and drinking as much as possible?
So we grill. We grill hamburgers and hot dogs and a few more hot dogs, which will inevitably be forgotten and get extra charred (my favorites). I truly love hot dogs, but let me remind you that there are at least two days in a classic weekend, three to four if we luck into a long weekend. What else are we going to have?
I vote more grilled meat, but this time on a stick. Lamb, beef, pork or chicken, seasoned simply with salt and pepper or maybe some crushed spices like fennel or cumin, a few bite-size hunks pierced with a skewer and grilled over hot flames (coal or gas) — or even cooked indoors in a large skillet.
This flexible, rather formulaic way of cooking lends itself well to very lazy, casual preparation, especially for large groups. The meat can be seasoned and skewered a day or two ahead and grilled as you (or your hungry friends) need — not unlike those hot dogs.
From there, you just need a few cold, saucy, tangy, salady things to eat alongside that will cut through all those charred, fatty meats. (Like I said, I will not be cooking anything in the kitchen, but cutting, slicing, mixing and seasoning I can manage.) I like a mix of homemade things, like lemony, barely pickled red onion, and store-bought treasures, like chopped olives and lots of pickles, along with some sort of malleable flatbread and heavily seasoned yogurt or sour cream. There will be bunches of herbs (dill, mint, cilantro) to be nibbled on with the skewers after they’re dipped in the yogurt and topped with those onions. Or you could layer everything in the flatbread and fold it up for a sandwichesque experience.
It’s the type of eating that can be done all day and into the night, when you couldn’t possibly eat another thing — until you discover a forgotten skewer on the back of the grill, charred and blackened, and decide there’s nothing else to do but eat it.
Spiced Lamb Skewers With Lemony Onions
Yield: 4 to 6 servings Total time: 25 minutes
1 1⁄2 to 2 pounds boneless lamb leg or shoulder, excess fat trimmed, meat cut into 1 1⁄2-inch pieces
Kosher salt and black
pepper
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground
turmeric
1 small red onion, thinly
sliced
1 teaspoon ground sumac
(optional) 5 tablespoons fresh
lemon or lime juice 1 cup full-fat Greek yogurt Olive oil, for drizzling
1 cup cilantro, tender
leaves and stems
1⁄2 cup pitted black olives,
finely chopped Lavash, pita or flatbread,
for serving Pickled cabbage, cucumbers, peppers or a mix, for serving Season lamb with salt and pepper. Add cumin and turmeric, and toss to coat. (This can be done up to 24 hours ahead, if you like.)
If you’re using a charcoal grill, build the fire so it’s screaming hot. This lamb is to be cooked hot and fast so it can stay nicely medium-rare, so the hotter the better. If you’re using a gas grill, set it on high. Bring a clean platter, cutting board or baking dish out to the grill for the skewers to rest in after cooking.
Combine onion, sumac (if using) and 3 tablespoons lemon juice; season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Set aside.
Combine yogurt and remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Skewer the lamb onto wooden or metal skewers, 2 to 4 pieces per skewer.
Once the grill is hot, cook the skewers on all sides until deeply browned and lightly charred all over, 2 to 3 minutes per side (less time for smaller pieces), moving the skewers around as needed to prevent excessive flareups. (If you’ve trimmed most of the fat away from the lamb, the flare-ups shouldn’t be too bad.)
Transfer the skewers to the platter, cutting board or baking dish to rest for a few minutes, and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with the dressed onions, lemony yogurt, cilantro, olives, lavash and any pickled vegetables or peppers you like.