You might think of this as a kind of indoor shish kebab, one that contains its own built-in sauce, a combination of yogurt and the juices exuded by the lamb and roasted vegetables. Serve with rice or pita bread. Other cuts of meat you can use here: beef tenderloin (filet mignon) or boneless chicken thighs (which will require a little longer cooking time).
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Turn the heat to high under a cast-iron or other large heavy skillet; a couple of minutes later, add the lamb and quickly sear on all sides. Don’t worry about cooking it through, but brown the exterior well.
Step 2
Remove the lamb and put the peppers and chiles in the same skillet, still over high heat. Add the onion, cut sides down. Cook until the peppers blacken on all sides, turning as necessary (the onion will blacken quickly; remove it and set aside). When the peppers are beginning to collapse, after a total of 10 to 15 minutes, remove the skillet from the heat and cover with foil or a lid. Preheat the broiler and adjust the rack so it is 2 to 4 inches from the heat source.
Step 3
When the peppers cool slightly, remove them from the pan and peel and seed them, then cut or tear them into strips; separate the onions into rings. Cut the tomatoes in half through their equator and, over a sink, squeeze and shake them to extract the seeds. Put the tomatoes, cut side down, in the skillet and char them, 3 to 5 minutes; roughly chop the tomatoes.
Step 4
Combine the vegetables with the lamb, salt, pepper, thyme, and yogurt in a roasting pan just large enough to hold the lamb in one layer. Broil until charred on top, just a few minutes, then serve over pita or rice, with the lemon wedges.
