Serves: 4
Total Calories: 264

1 pound ground lamb
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin, ground, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground, or more to taste
20 shallots, large, or pearl onions
pita bread, for serving
2 to 3 teaspoons pomegranate, molasses (see recipe)

1. If desired, set up the grill for grateless grilling. Preheat the grill to high.

2. Combine the lamb, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Knead and squeeze the mixture with your hands until thoroughly blended, 3 to 4 minutes. To test the mixture for seasoning, sauté a small amount of it in a nonstick skillet until cooked through, then taste, adding salt, cumin, or pepper to the remaining mixture as necessary.

3. Peel the shallots and cut each lengthwise in half. Starting on the round sides, thread 5 shallot halves onto each skewer, leaving about 1 inch between each.

4. Line a baking sheet with plastic wrap. Divide the meat mixture into 32 equal portions. Lightly wet your hands with cold water, then take one portion of the meat and mold it around a skewer, between 2 shallot halves, making it as much as possible the same size. Repeat with the remaining portions of meat so each skewer contains 5 shallot halves alternating with 4 portions of meat. Place each kebab as it is made on the prepared baking sheet (see Note).

5. When ready to cook, if not using the grateless method, generously oil the grate. Arrange the kebabs on the grill as described in the grateless method, or arrange directly on the hot grate. Grill, turning with tongs, until the shallots are nicely browned and soft and the meat is browned as well and cooked through, about 12 minutes in all.

6. Use a pita to protect your hand as you slide the meat and shallots off their skewers into a serving bowl. Toss with the Pomegranate Molasses, cover, and let stand for 3 minutes. Divide the meat and shallots among serving plates and serve immediately, accompanied by the pita.

Makes 8 kebabs, serves 8 as an appetizer, 4 as an entrée

Note: If not planning to cook immediately, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Pomegranate Molasses

Narshrab

Nutritional Facts:

Serves: 4
Total Calories: 264
Calories from Fat: 126

More Recipes from the The Barbecue Bible Cookbook:
Avocado, Sprout and Salsa Burger
Bacon and Smoked-Cheese Burger
Beef Sates With Coriander / Sate' Age
Bosnian Three-Meat Patties / Cevapcici
Bulgarian Burgers / Kufteh
Cheeseburger
Cracked Wheat and Lamb Kebabs / Semit Kebab
Flying Fox Sates / Sate' Kalong
Four-Pepper Chicken Kebabs / Kafta
Gentle Al Kebabs With Fire-Charred Eggplant And Yogurt
Lamb In Lavash / Lyulya Kebab
Lamb Sate With Tamarind Sauce / Sate' Buntel
Lamb and Eggplant Kebabs / Sedzeli Kebab
Lamb and Pistachio Kebabs
Oasis Kebabs / Kofta
Persian Lamb and Beef Kebabs / Kubideh
Pomegranate Molasses / Narshrab
Pork and Pomegranate Sausages / Kupati
Romania Pork and Lamb Sausage / Mititei
Samba Dogs
Samba Sausages / Choricou
Shallot Kebabs With Pomegranate Molasses / Sogar Kebab
Slipper Burgers / Chapli Kebab
Spiced Lamb and Beef Kebabs / Lula Kebab
Spicy Chorizos
Tamarind Water
The Great American Hamburger
The Original Karim's Seekh Kebab