Name: Russian shashlik with rhubarb sauce
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 small onion; 4 garlic cloves; 200ml plain yogurt; 4 tbsp white wine; 1 tsp cayenne pepper; 3 crumpled bay leaves; 750g lamb leg cut into 2.5cm cubes; 4 tbsp olive oil; flatbreads and yogurt, to serve; 200ml cider vinegar; 200g granulated sugar; 1 cinnamon stick; 2.5cm piece ginger peeled and grated; 1 red onion very finely sliced; 350g trimmed rhubarb cut into 4cm lengths; about 10 mint leaves, torn

For the shashlik

1 small onion
4 garlic cloves
200ml plain yogurt
4 tbsp white wine
1 tsp cayenne pepper
3 crumpled bay leaves
750g lamb leg
cut into 2.5cm cubes
4 tbsp olive oil
flatbreads
and yogurt, to serve

For the rhubarb sauce

200ml cider vinegar
200g granulated sugar
1 cinnamon stick
2.5cm piece ginger
peeled and grated
1 red onion
very finely sliced
350g trimmed rhubarb
cut into 4cm lengths
about 10 mint
leaves, torn

Method

step 1
Grate the onion and crush the garlic cloves, then put in a bowl with all the shashlik ingredients except the lamb and half the olive oil, and mix together. Put the lamb in the mixture, turning it with your hands, then cover with cling film and put in the fridge to marinate for a few hours or overnight.
step 2
For the rhubarb sauce, put the vinegar and sugar in a pan and bring to the boil, stirring a little to help the sugar dissolve. Add the cinnamon and ginger, and simmer for 10 mins. Add the onion and continue to simmer, uncovered, for 10 mins. Add the rhubarb and simmer gently for about 4 mins more or until the rhubarb is only just tender. Don’t overcook the fruit as you want the pieces to remain intact. Add the mint and leave to cool. The mixture will thicken a little more.
step 3
Lift the lamb out of the marinade, shaking off the excess. Thread the meat onto skewers. Brush a griddle pan with some of the remaining oil and cook the skewers, seasoning them well and turning for 5-7 mins until brown all over – you may have to do this in batches. Serve with the rhubarb sauce, flatbreads and yogurt.