Aug 30, 2014
I had a bunch of duck meat leftover from a sausage-making project
and wanted to use it as an appetizer at a big party, so I came up
with these tasty kebabs. The pomegranate molasses adds some
tang and brings out the flavour of the duck, and the harissa sauce
gives it a nice spicy kick. If you can’t find duck or it’s too
pricy, this treatment would also work well with boneless skinless
chicken thighs, or even lamb.
Makes 8 to 12 skewers depending on portion size
For the kebabs:
2
lbs | 1 kg boneless, skinless duck or chicken thigh meat
1 tsp kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup | 50 mL pomegranate molasses (available in stores that
carry middle-eastern foods or see recipe below)
1 Tbsp | 15 mL extra virgin olive oil
short bamboo skewers, soaked in water for at least an hour or
overnight
Another 1/4 cup | 50 mL pomegranate molasses for the finishing
glaze
Apple wood chips (optional)
For the harissa
sauce
½ cup harissa paste
1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses
½ tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp water
Combine the sauce ingredients in a bowl and thoroughly whisk them
together. Adjust the amounts of each ingredient to suite your
taste. Set the sauce aside.
To prepare the kebabs, cut the duck or chicken meat into bite-sized
pieces and place them in a bowl. Add salt, pepper, molasses and
olive oil and mix everything together to coat the meat. Marinate
for at least half an hour (you can marinate them overnight in the
fridge if you like). Thread the meat chunks onto skewers so they’re
packed tightly together.
Prepare your grill for medium direct cooking and use apple wood or
your favorite cooking wood as a flavouring agent. If you’re using a
charcoal grill, just place a small handful of chips on the hot
coals just before you’re ready to grill. For gas grills, place the
chips in a cigar-like packet made of aluminum foil. Poke some holes
in the foil. When your grill is almost preheated, place the package
below the cooking grate, being careful not to burn yourself as you
lift the grate with your tongs. When you see light wisps of blue
smoke coming out of the grill, you’re ready to go.
Just before you start cooking, drizzle or brush a little olive oil
on the kebabs. Place them on the cooking grate and cover the grill.
Cook, turning often,
until the meat is springy to the touch, about 3 to 5 minutes.
During the last minute of cooking time, baste the kebabs with
pomegranate molasses to give them a shiny coating.
Remove the kebabs from the grill and let them rest just a few
minutes. Finish them with a light sprinkling of salt, a drizzle of
olive oil and a gentle dab of the harissa sauce along the length of
the top side the kebabs. Serve immediately.
Pomegranate Molasses
Make this delicious syrup the same way you’d make balsamic
reduction.
Makes about 1 1/4 cup | 300 mL
4 cups of pomegranate juice
½ cup sugar
a squeeze of lemon juice
Combine the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer
the mixture until it’s reduced to a thick syrup, about ¼ to 1/3 of
the original volume. Cool and store in the fridge. It keeps for
months.