Grilled Lamb Pita with Yogurt

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Grill or cast iron grill pan
• •Metal skewers (optional)
• •Clean kitchen towel for squeezing cucumber

Instructions

1. 1

   Pickle the onions

   Combine the vinegar, honey, and salt in a small bowl and stir until dissolved. Add the sliced red onion and press down to submerge. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare everything else, at least twenty minutes. The onions will turn a beautiful magenta and lose their sharp bite.

   These quick pickles keep refrigerated for two weeks. Make extra. You will want them on everything.
2. 2

   Marinate the lamb

   Combine the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, coriander, paprika, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the lamb cubes and toss to coat every surface. Let sit at room temperature for twenty minutes while you prepare the yogurt sauce. The lamb should not be cold when it hits the grill.

   Ask your butcher for lamb from a local farm. The difference in flavor is not subtle. Grass-fed lamb has a cleaner taste that pairs beautifully with these spices.
3. 3

   Make the yogurt sauce

   Squeeze the grated cucumber in a clean kitchen towel to remove excess moisture. This matters. Watery sauce will make your pita soggy. Combine the drained cucumber with yogurt, grated garlic, lemon juice, chopped mint, and salt. Taste and adjust. The sauce should be cool and bright, a counterpoint to the rich lamb.

4. 4

   Heat the grill

   Heat a grill or grill pan over high heat until very hot. You want aggressive heat to develop char while keeping the interior pink. If using a grill pan, open your windows. If using skewers, thread the lamb cubes, leaving small gaps between each piece for even cooking.

5. 5

   Grill the lamb

   Brush the grill grates with oil. Cook the lamb for two to three minutes per side, turning to develop char on all surfaces. The meat should be pink inside, with a dark crust outside. Total cooking time is eight to ten minutes for medium. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for five minutes.

   Resist the urge to move the meat constantly. Let it sit. The char develops from contact, from patience.
6. 6

   Warm the bread

   While the lamb rests, brush pitas lightly with olive oil and warm them on the grill for thirty seconds per side. They should be pliable and lightly marked, not crisp. Stack and wrap in a clean towel to keep warm.

7. 7

   Assemble the pitas

   Slice the lamb into strips or leave as cubes, your choice. Spread a generous spoonful of yogurt sauce down the center of each warm pita. Add the lamb, then top with pickled onions, tomato slices, and handfuls of fresh mint and parsley. Finish with a pinch of flaky salt. Fold and eat immediately.

Chef Tips

• •Lamb shoulder has more fat and flavor than leg, though leg is more tender. Both work beautifully here. Ask your butcher what they recommend from local farms.
• •If tomatoes are not in season, skip them entirely. A mealy winter tomato adds nothing. In colder months, add more pickled onions and perhaps some roasted red pepper.
• •The herbs are not a garnish. They are an ingredient. Use whole leaves, generously, the way they do in the Middle East. Your hands should smell like mint for hours.
• •Good pita matters enormously. Seek out fresh flatbread from a Middle Eastern bakery if you can. The difference between fresh bread and the supermarket kind is the difference between a good meal and a forgettable one.

Advance Preparation

• •Pickled onions can be made up to two weeks ahead and refrigerated. They improve with time.
• •Yogurt sauce can be made one day ahead and refrigerated. The flavors meld nicely overnight.
• •Lamb can be marinated for up to four hours in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature thirty minutes before grilling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 400g)