Lamb Skewer Pitas Recipes

SPICE-RUBBED LAMB SKEWERS WITH HERB-YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Slice lamb into 12 strips, each 1/2-inch thick, about 2 inches wide and 4 to 6 inches long. Place in a dish and rub with 1 tablespoon oil. Mix paprika, cumin, 3/4 teaspoon pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt together and rub over meat. Cover and set aside for 4 hours at room temperature. Place 12 8-inch bamboo skewers in water.
• Mince garlic and herbs by hand or machine. Place in a serving bowl and add yogurt and 2 tablespoons oil. Add 2 to 4 tablespoons cold water to thin to saucelike consistency. Stir in remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper and add salt to taste. Refrigerate.
• About 30 minutes before serving, heat grill or broiler. Heat remaining oil in a skillet, add onion and sauté over medium heat until just starting to brown. Place in a serving dish.
• Thread meat on skewers and sear quickly on grill or broiler, 1 1/2 to 3 minutes a side for medium-rare to medium. Arrange on a platter, lightly toast cut sides of pita breads on grill or under broiler. Arrange in a basket. Serve kebabs with pita, onions and sauce.

SPICED LAMB SKEWERS WITH LEMONY ONIONS

Steps:

• Season lamb with salt and pepper. Add cumin and turmeric and toss to coat. (This can be done up to 24 hours ahead, if you like.)
• If you're using a charcoal grill, build the fire so it's screaming hot. This lamb is to be cooked hot and fast so it can stay nicely medium-rare, so the hotter the better. If you're using a gas grill, set it on high. Bring a clean platter, cutting board or baking dish out to the grill for the skewers to rest in after cooking.
• Combine onion, sumac (if using) and 3 tablespoons lemon juice; season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Set aside.
• Combine yogurt and remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice; season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Skewer the lamb onto wooden or metal skewers, 2 to 4 pieces per skewer.
• Once the grill is hot, cook the skewers on all sides until deeply browned and lightly charred all over, 2 to 3 minutes per side (less time for smaller pieces), moving the skewers around as needed to prevent excessive flare-ups. (If you've trimmed most of the fat away from the lamb, the flare-ups shouldn't be too bad.)
• Transfer the skewers to the platter, cutting board or baking dish to rest for a few minutes and drizzle with olive oil. Serve with the dressed onions, lemony yogurt, cilantro, olives, lavash and any pickled vegetables or peppers you like.

MINI LAMB PITAS WITH TZATZIKI

Steps:

• In a bowl combine mint and garlic for your marinade. Add lamb shoulder and mix, pressing in the leaves and garlic into the lamb. You can set aside overnight in an airtight container.
• For tzatziki, combine cucumber, yogurt and dill in a bowl and add salt and lemon juice to taste. Set aside (you can also make this a day ahead and place in an airtight container).
• Place lamb on a hot grill for 10-15 minutes each side or until done. Slice and set-aside. Cut your pita rounds into quarter points and fill with sliced lamb and tzatziki. Garnish with parsley and serve.

INDIAN CURRY LAMB SKEWERS WITH MINT-GRILLED NECTARINE CHUTNEY WITH PITA

Steps:

• For the chutney:
• Heat the grill to high.
• Brush the nectarines with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill, cut side down until lightly golden brown, about 3 minutes. Turn the nectarines over and grill until just cooked through, about 2 minutes longer. Remove from the grill and coarsely chop.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a medium saucepan on the grates of the grill. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the chile, garlic, ginger and mustard seeds and cook for 1 minute. Add the vinegar and sugar and cook until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens slightly. Stir in the nectarines and cook for 1 minute, season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl, cool, and stir in the raisins, coconut and mint. Let cool to room temperature before serving.
• For the skewers:
• Heat the grill to high. Combine the coriander, cumin, mustard seeds and black peppercorns in a small skillet on the grates of the grill and grill until lightly toasted, about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring a few times; transfer to a coffee grinder and process until finely ground and place in a bowl. Add the ancho, turmeric, garlic, ginger, 1/4 cup canola oil and vinegar and whisk until it forms a paste. If the mixture is too dry, add a few tablespoons of water to loosen it to a paste.
• Place lamb in a large bowl, add the curry paste and toss to coat each piece of lamb. You can grill immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours to allow the flavors to intensify.
• Skewer 2 pieces of lamb onto 2 skewers so that the meat lays flat on the grill. Season both sides of the lamb with salt and grill until golden brown and slightly charred on both sides and cooked to medium-rare doneness, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drizzle with olive oil and serve with pita bread and chutney.

LAMB PITA SANDWICHES

Steps:

• Add the coriander, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of salt to a small mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the spice mixture to the lamb stew meat and use tongs to coat the meat in the spices. Set aside.
• Heat an electric pressure cooker to the sauté setting and add 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pot. Once the oil is shimmering, add the stew meat in batches, being sure not to overcrowd the pot. Brown the meat on all sides, about 4 minutes, then remove to a plate. Add an additional tablespoon of oil, if needed, before adding another batch of meat. Once all the meat has been browned and removed from the pot, add the red wine to deglaze, stirring and scraping the bottom to release any brown bits stuck to the base of the pot. Once the alcohol smell has burned off, 1 to 2 minutes, add the canned diced tomatoes and the browned meat. Stir to combine.
• Place the lid on the pressure cooker and seal. Set to high pressure according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once at high pressure cook for 15 minutes then allow the pressure cooker to naturally release for 10 minutes before manually venting the rest.
• While the lamb cooks, add the fresh chopped tomatoes, cucumber, onion, parsley, dill, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper to a medium bowl. Toss to combine and set aside until ready to assemble.
• To assemble, slice each pita in half and open to create a pocket. Slather each side of the pocket with hummus, then add in a few pieces of romaine lettuce, covering the hummus. Next add a few spoonfuls of the cucumber-onion mixture and top with a few pieces of cooked lamb. Continue the process with the remaining ingredients.

GREEK LAMB ON SKEWERS (SOUVLAKI)

Steps:

• For the marinade: Combine first 8 ingredients.
• Cut lamb up into 1/2" thick, 1" wide, 3" long strips.
• Pour marinade over lamb and chill overnight. Turning occasionally.
• For the veggies: Combine the next 10 ingredients and let chill over night.
• Skewer meat. If using wooden skewers, soak for an hour in water first. About 8 slices per stick.
• Prepare grill. Add wood chips. Any type will do.
• Grill until meat is done, brushing often with marinade. Meat should be brown around the edges, but still a little pink in the center. Don't dry the meat out.
• Serve with warm pita. Guests should wrap a warm pita round the meat and pull the skewer our, then top their "taco" with marinated veggies, feta, and tzaziki.
• For the tzaziki: Place the yogurt in cheese cloth. Twist to bind and squeeze the yogurt. Place in colander over a bowl to drain for an hour or so.
• Peel and slice a cucumber down the middle, and spoon out the seeds.
• Grate the cucumber. Squeeze out as much juice as you can.
• In a bowl, mix the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, oil, salt, mint, and lemon juice. Let chill a few hours (over night is best).
• For the pita: Buy pita flat bread (whole breads without the pocket).
• Mix olive oil with paprika.
• Brush each piece on both sides with a little of the olive oil.
• Place on hot griddle and warm thoroughly (about a minute or so on each side).
• Serve warm.

LAMB OR BEEF KEBAB PITAS WITH TZATZIKI

Steps:

• In a bowl, knead together all the kebab ingredients. Form into sausages of about 4-5 inches in length. Cover and leave in the fridge for about an hour.
• Prepare the Tzatziki: In a bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Taste, and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 400°F (this is also great on the bbq).
• Grill the kebabs until brown and crusty on all sides, and cooked through, about 12-14 minutes.
• Get some grilled pita breads.
• Place 1 or 2 kebabs inside each pita and add some slices of tomato, onion, some tzatziki, and a generous sprinkling of parlsey.
• Roll up as tightly as you can without mushing up your sandwich, and wrap a piece of aluminum foil around bottom to catch any drips.
• Enjoy one of the best sandwiches you've ever had.

SPICY LAMB SHISH KEBABS WITH GREEK PITA BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt with the paprika, cumin, allspice, garlic and the 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.
• Add the lamb and stir until evenly coated.
• Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour or refrigerate for up to 3 hours.
• Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Thread the lamb and zucchini onto 12 long metal skewers and brush with oil.
• Season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Grill the kebabs over moderately high heat, turning, until the lamb is browned outside and medium-rare inside, 6 minutes.
• Serve the lamb kebabs with Warm Greek pita bread.

SPICY LAMB KABOBS

Steps:

• Peel cucumber and remove seeds. Place cucumber in a food processor; cover and process until finely chopped. Remove half of cucumber; set aside. Process remaining cucumber until pureed. Combine pureed cucumber and reserved cucumber; stir in the sour cream, lemon juice and seasonings. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour., In a small bowl, combine the first 7 kabob ingredients. Pour 1-1/2 cups marinade into a shallow dish; add the lamb and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade for basting., Drain and discard marinade. On 8 metal or soaked wooden skewers, alternately thread lamb, pineapple and tomatoes., In a large bowl, combine the lettuces, onions, tomato, sprouts, grapes and walnuts; sprinkle with cheese. Set aside., Grill kabobs, covered, over medium heat for 5-6 minutes on each side or until lamb reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare, a thermometer should read 135°; medium, 140°; medium-well, 145°), basting frequently with reserved marinade., Beat butter and honey until blended; brush over pitas. Serve with kabobs, salad and sauce.