Servings: 6
Source: From Fine Cooking, June/July 2005 p 53
Ingredients
Microwaving the lemons is a quick method for giving them the flavor of preserved lemons.
FOR THE MARINADE:
2 lemons
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 1/8-inch-thick slices peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch saffron threads
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
2½ teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
FOR THE KEBABS:
2½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch chunks
I sweet onion (like Vidalia), cut into 1 -inch pieces
I red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into 1-inch squares
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish
FOR THE YOGURT-LEMON SAUCE:
1 seedless cucumber, cut into ½-inch dice
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
Kosher salt
Directions
Make the marinade: Cut four deep, lengthwise gashes, equally spaced, into each lemon. Put the lemons and garlic cloves in a small microwavable container. Cover and microwave on high until the lemons are soft and juice has exuded from them, about 4 minutes (If not soft, continue to microwave in 30-second intervals). Strain the juice into a small container and let the lemons and garlic cool briefly. When the lemons are cool enough to handle, separate them into sections. Scrape the pulp and most of the white pith away with a spoon; discard. Put the scraped lemon peels, garlic, lemon juice, and remaining marinade ingredients in a blender and purse to make a coarse, soft paste. Set 2 tablespoons aside to use for the yogurt sauce.
Marinate the chicken: Put the chicken into a 1-gallon zip-top bag; scrape in the remaining marinade. Massage the bag to coat all the chicken pieces and marinate for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator.
Grill the kebabs: Build a medium-hot charcoal fire or heat a gas grill to medium high.
Dump the chicken into a bowl, but don’t scrape off any excess marinade. Put the onion and peppers in the marinade bag and massage them to coat with the marinade (it’s fine if the onion pieces break apart). Transfer to another bowl. Thread the chicken onto skewers, positioning a piece of onion and pepper between the pieces of chicken. If there’s extra pepper or onion, thread them onto separate skewers, if you like.
When ready to grill, oil the grill grate. Grill the kebabs over direct heat (uncovered for charcoal; covered for gas), turning the skewers every 2 to 3 minutes until the chicken is firm and shows no redness when cut into, about 1 0 to 1 5 minutes. Check several pieces of chicken to be sure.
Make the sauce: Combine the reserved 2 tablespoons marinade with the cucumber, cilantro, yogurt, and 2 teaspoons salt. Mix well. (Make the sauce no more than an hour before serving or it will be too watery).
To serve: Remove the chicken and vegetables from the skewers and serve them in a mound with the yogurt sauce on the side.