My lovely wife spent some of her developmental years growing up in North Africa (Algeria), back when the region was far less tumultuous than today; she and her family grew to savor the many of the regional dishes of the area, including the roasted lamb kabobs of what used to be called the Barbary Coast (Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, and Libya).
We occasionally enjoy pasture-raised lamb at home, whether it be a leg of lamb, lamb chops, or what we’ve come to call these Barbary Coast Lamb Kabobs.
This dish is fun to serve for a crowd, is a piece of cake to put together, and most importantly, is absolutely delicious. Around our house at least, there must be tzatziki or a great yogurt sauce on the table, as well as great Greek-inspired salad (we’ll post our favorite this summer at some point).
As a bonus, this recipe works incredibly well with chicken as well.
2 lb leg of lamb, trimmed, cut into 1 and 1/2- inch cubes
Marinade
3/8 cup olive oil
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
2 tsp fresh grated lemon peel
2 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp (generous) coriander (ground)
1 tsp (generous) cumin (ground)
1 tsp good saltVegetables
2 red onions, quartered, with resulting pieces then halved
1 red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded, cut into 1 and 1/2- inch pieces
1 green bell pepper, stemmed and seeded, cut into 1 and 1/2- inch pieces
2 baby zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1 and 1/2- inch pieces
1 small container grape tomatoes
Optional: 16 dried apricots, soaked in boiling water 5 min. then drained
Mix together the entire list of marinade ingredients in a medium bowl, whisking well to combine. Add the cubed lamb, stirring gently but thoroughly, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, 4-8 hours is better.
When ready to cook, fire the grill, and thread the meat onto skewers alternating with peppers and onions; thread the remaining vegetables onto skewers artfully.
Grill the meat and vegetables; the meat (pending your fire), should be medium-rare to medium in 7 to 8 minutes; turn and baste every 3-4 minutes for an even cook. The vegetables may take a minute or two longer.
Serve hot off the grill with the accompaniments of your choice (see above).
Enjoy.
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