We're in double digits! Hurray! Also if you are regularly checking out Culinisation, will you please become an official follower of the blog – I’m unashamed to say it’s just to boost my ego!
Armenia was the first barbeque of the Culinisation gastro tour. I had assumed (as we all regretfully do) that it would be raining/windy/cold or all of the above and hadn’t even considered doing this one outside but it turned out that the menu and the fabulous weather called for it. I forgot to mention that this was at my home house, a.k.a my parents house, and it was a great luxury to have their kitchen to work in not to mention an actual outside for the barbeque in the first place. Fortunately for me, and just on queue my dad took the ‘dad role’ and responsibility of the barbeque so I could sit back and enjoy a glass of wine. The view’s not half bad either.
So this is in fact a family and Grange special edition of Culinisation complete with dodgy family photos! Expect plenty more to come as I am heading back to the home house a.s.a.p to help my sleep deprived Mum babysit her new puppy - who is turning out to be as much trouble as a new born.
Also is it a crime to repeat these for Skippy’s Aussie BBQ next week? Get back to me.
Lulu Kebabs
These are just the ticket if you’re doing a barbeque for some friends – they’re cheap, easy to make, obviously tasty and they make a great alternative to a burnt sausage. Also who doesn’t love a kebab (and I mean a real kebab) with a nice warm wrap, crunchy salad and some garlicky yogurt? I used minced beef because, if you don’t know by now - I’m not exactly loaded, but if you want to you can do half beef and half lamb or just all lamb – whatever tickles your fancy. This work is made light if you’ve a blender, just bang all the ingredients in and whizz it up. My parents’ blender is Stone Age and weighs a tone so I just chopped everything my hand. As usual I got a little carried away with the wine, the mixture was therefore too wet, the kebabs refused stay on the sticks and became, well sausages.
Yum and great before a few drinks and not just after them!
Serves 4
500g minced beef or lamb
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
a splash of wine (careful)
a tablespoon of tomato puree
a handful of parsley, chopped
a handful of basil, chopped
a clove of garlic, chopped
a teaspoon of cumin
salt and pepper
Mix everything together in a bowl once chopped or throw everything in a blender and whiz up. Divide the mixture into 12 in the bowl with a knife and press a twelfth onto the wooden skewers (I soaked mine before hand to prevent them burning to no avail. You could even say to hell with the skewers and make them into burgers, sausages - whatever shape you fancy.) Let them firm up in the fridge for half an hour and barbeque on a hot charcoal fire. For times you’d need to ask my dad.
Armenian Salad
This is another simple salad (although I know all salads are simple). The feta and olives make it worthwhile and its great in a wrap with the kebabs. It’s my kind of salad – it doesn’t feel the need to add lettuce.
Serves 4
2 tomatoes, wedged
1 red onion, sliced thinly
a couple of spring onions, sliced.
a bell pepper of your choice (not green), sliced
a good handful of black olives (or Kalamata olives if you can find them), halved
feta cheese, crumbled to taste (I’d say roughly 100g)
a few basil leaved, chopped
some parsley, chopped
Dressing:
juice of half a lemon
same quantities of extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
tbsp of sugar
Salt and pepper
I don’t think I really need to tell you what to do, do I?
Garlic and Yogurt Dip
I also made a garlic and yogurt dip. I have no idea if its Armenian or not, I don’t really care because it’s a must to go with the kebab.
½ clove of garlic, crushed
a cucumber, diced
½ pot of greek yogurt (250g or there abouts)
salt and pepper
Same as above
