The spring release of Rubaiyat, our red wine blend, is a festive occasion at the winery. We invite our wine-club members to come sample the new release, and we set up several food stations in our courtyard. If the weather cooperates, the day is as much fun for the culinary staff as it is for our guests. Brian devises dishes expressly for the featured wines—not just Rubaiyat but other current releases, too. These juicy lamb kebabs, scented with North African spices, were a hit one year with Cakebread Cellars Syrah. Accompany with Carrot, Fennel, and Green Olive Slaw (page 56).
Ras el hanout is a Moroccan spice blend available from well-stocked spice merchants such as Whole Spice (see page 126).
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Cumin Salt
Preparation
Step 1
Put the lamb, onion, parsley, mint, ras el hanout, and salt in a bowl. Mix with your hands until blended. Fry a small amount of the mixture in a nonstick skillet to taste the seasoning. Adjust if necessary.
Step 2
Divide the meat mixture into 8 equal portions, each weighing roughly 2 ounces. With lightly oiled hands, mold each portion around a 12-inch bamboo or metal skewer, forming a neat sausage shape about 6 inches long and squeezing the meat so it clings to the skewer. You can assemble the kebabs several hours ahead; cover and refrigerate.
Step 3
For the cumin salt: Toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, shaking the skillet constantly until the seeds are fragrant and beginning to smoke. Pound them fine in a mortar, then stir in the salt.
Step 4
Prepare a hot charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill to high. Lightly oil the grill with a rag dipped in vegetable oil. If you are using bamboo skewers, prepare two doubled sheets of aluminum foil that you can position underneath the exposed ends of the skewers so they don’t burn. Place the skewers on the grill so that the exposed ends rest over the foil. (If you are using metal skewers, you don’t need to take this precaution.) Grill, turning as needed, until the lamb is firm to the touch, 6 to 7 minutes.
Step 5
Serve 2 skewers per person, accompanying each portion with a lemon wedge and a small ramekin of cumin salt.
Step 6
Enjoy with Cakebread Cellars Carneros Syrah or another substantial red wine.
