Yes, it’s winter and the only place you’re likely to get shashlik is at a restaurant. Still, let’s take a moment to remember that incomparable aroma, the tenderness and juiciness of the meat, the fresh air, and the warm sunshine. Spring will come, and you’ll already have a few great recipes for our beloved dish ready 🙂
Let’s start with onions—the essential component of delicious shashlik. They’re often used in marinades because onions improve the texture and flavor of the meat. Sprinkle chopped onions with salt and spices, then crush them with your hands to release their juices. Take your meat (in this case, we’ll use lamb, preferably from the hindquarters). Cut it into moderately sized pieces, add diced fat, and mix everything with green onions, coriander, and black pepper. Let it marinate for 2 hours, then remove all the onions from the meat before grilling. Turn the shashlik frequently to retain its juices and fat. The grilling will take about 10–15 minutes.
No one can argue that the tastiest shashlik comes from quality, fresh meat. Take beef—marbled beef, to be specific. For this cut, a marinade is almost unnecessary. Just salt and pepper will do. The key to success is proper cooking. If the meat is tender and juicy, cut it into larger pieces to help keep those juices.
And now—yes! You might be wondering how shashlik could exist without pork. Pork is essential when you want a particularly aromatic, flavorful shashlik. In fact, you can grill pork without any spices. I do have a tip: take a couple of tomatoes and strain the juice, discarding the pulp and seeds. Add a bit of soy sauce, starch, red pepper or paprika, salt, honey, and sesame oil to that juice. Mix well and marinate the meat, cut into large pieces, in it. Chop garlic, leeks, and peppers separately to sprinkle over the skewered shashlik. When the meat starts to form a crust, brush it with the remaining marinade. This marinade can burn easily, so be careful.
Now, let’s talk about fish. Who said shashlik has to be only meat? You can use any fish you like—I used sturgeon. For fish, spices are crucial—choose the most aromatic and spicy ones you enjoy. For the marinade, take three tablespoons of sour cream (you can use yogurt or cream), add one and a half tablespoons of tomato paste, a couple of tablespoons of your favorite spicy seasonings, half a head of garlic, ginger to taste (many people don’t like ginger), a tablespoon of paprika, cardamom, red pepper, vegetable oil, and salt. Blend everything until finely chopped, preferably in a blender, and coat the fish with the mixture. Let it marinate for about 6 hours in a cool place. Fish is usually grilled on a rack, but I prefer it well done, so I use regular skewers. Drizzle a few drops of lemon juice over the finished shashlik.
Another delicacy is shashlik made from—don’t be alarmed—lamb testicles! It’s an unusual dish, but just as tasty as any other shashlik. Cut them lengthwise, not too deeply, and remove the membranes. Season with salt and pepper, skewer them, and grill quickly. Alternatively, season them, sprinkle with a mix of red peppers, coat in breadcrumbs, and grill. In both cases, serve with pomegranate or lemon juice. It pairs well with white wine or vodka. You can also chop garlic, add olive oil, and serve that alongside the shashlik with some lightly toasted white bread.
Now, let’s move on to vegetables. You can make excellent shashlik from vegetables as a delicious complement to meat or fish. Slice garlic into thin strips. Skewer bell peppers, eggplant, tomatoes, onions, and garlic, wrapping them in fatback to retain moisture and enhance the flavor and aroma of the vegetables.
You can also make stuffed vegetables. I used chili peppers: remove the partitions and seeds, and fill the peppers with any meat filling mixed with plenty of aromatic herbs—basil, dill, mint, etc. You can also use leeks and eggplants—hollow them out to form tubes, fill them with the mixture, and skewer them in layers: pepper, onion, eggplant, then pepper, onion, and so on. Grill this shashlik starting from the ends to set the filling, and then grill from the sides. It’s a bit labor-intensive, but the result is worth it.
You can prepare stuffed eggplant a bit differently. Cut eggplants into thick rings and salt them. Mix the meat with fat into a very fine filling (I used a regular meat grinder) and place small, flattened patties between the eggplant rings. Make the patties slightly smaller in diameter than the eggplant rings so they cook better and absorb the meat juices.
One of the most unusual shashliks, in my opinion, is lamb with anchovies. It’s an unexpected combination, but the result is harmonious and delicious. Use the loin of the lamb, without the ribs. Cut off the remaining spine so you can roll the meat into a ring. Slice four onions into half-moons and sauté them in a mixture of butter and olive oil until they start to turn golden. Add garlic, rosemary, and anchovy fillets, and sauté until the onions are nicely browned. Blend those ingredients with a little vinegar. Spread the resulting mixture on the inside of the meat, and tie the roll with slightly boiled leeks (boiled leeks become flexible like a rope). Grill on a rack. Serve with olive oil and artichokes, and enjoy with wine.
Veal—the tender, beloved meat. Prepare it this way: flatten the meat as thin as possible, season with salt and pepper, wrap it in thin strips of fat or ham, and skewer it. Quick, simple, and incredibly delicious.
Next up is shashlik made from tongue (lamb, veal, beef, or pork). Tongues are quite tough on their own, so they require a special marinade. Chop onions, garlic, bell peppers, and tomatoes (add a bit of water if needed), place them in a pot, and simmer the tongues in this mixture over very low heat for an hour. Remove the tongues, strain the juice from the mixture, and return the liquid to the heat to thicken. Use this sauce to brush the pieces of tongue before grilling. This shashlik cooks quickly, so don’t miss the moment. You can prepare lamb ribs the same way—finger-licking good!
Still, the simplest shashlik made from lamb fillet is often the best. Minimal spices, a pinch of salt, and—most important—proper cooking. Is vinegar necessary? Not for the marinade, but you can drizzle a couple of drops of spiced vinegar over the finished shashlik and the sliced onions. Don’t grill too much at once—this shashlik is best enjoyed in the first few minutes after it comes off the heat. But, as practice shows, it never lasts long 🙂
Bon appétit—and here’s to an early spring!
