Spice Rubbed Lamb Skewers With Herb Yogurt Sauce Recipes

SPICE-RUBBED LAMB RACK WITH YOGURT AND FRESH HERBS

Steps:

• Make the spice rub: Combine the peppercorns, coriander seeds, fennel seeds and cumin seeds in a small dry skillet over medium-high heat; cook, stirring, until toasted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. In a small bowl, mix the freshly ground spices with the paprika, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Preheat a grill to medium high and prepare for indirect grilling: For a charcoal grill, bank the hot coals to one side and leave the other half empty. For a gas grill, preheat all the burners, then turn off half the burners and keep the others on medium-high heat.
• Grill the lamb: Coat the lamb with the olive oil and sprinkle with the spice mixture. Grill over direct heat, turning as needed, until browned all over, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to indirect heat (the unlit side of the grill); cover and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the lamb registers 125 degrees F for medium-rare doneness, 20 to 24 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let rest 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the yogurt sauce: In a small bowl, mix the labne, olive oil, herbs, Aleppo pepper, lemon zest and 2 teaspoons lemon juice. Season with salt, black pepper and more lemon juice, if desired. Carve the lamb racks and serve with the yogurt sauce.

LAMB SKEWERS WITH SPICY YOGURT DRESSING

Steps:

• The day before serving, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over low heat. Add the onions and cook slowly until translucent, about 30 minutes. Drain any excess oil.
• Break the ground lamb up into a bowl. Add the onions, scallions, garlic, mint, salt, and pepper. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• When ready to serve, soak 16 six-inch wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes. (This helps prevent the skewers from burning on the grill.) Preheat a grill (high heat).
• Divide the lamb mixture into 16 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a 1-inch diameter log, approximately 3-inches long. Thread each piece lengthwise onto a skewer.
• Grill lamb to medium rare, turning once, about 5 minutes. Serve with Spicy Yogurt Dressing.
• To make the dressing: Mix the yogurt, cayenne, and mint in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature with the lamb skewers.

SPICE-RUBBED LEG OF LAMB WITH HARISSA YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• For the lamb: Use paper towels to pat dry the leg of lamb. In a small bowl, combine the salt, cumin, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, black pepper and cayenne. Season all sides of the lamb with the spice mixture and place on a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Let sit at room temperature for 30 to 45 minutes or place in the refrigerator overnight and allow to sit at room temperature for 45 minutes before cooking.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Drizzle the lamb with the olive oil, then roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake until the internal temperature is 140 degrees F for medium, about 1 hour and 15 minutes more. Allow to rest before serving, 15 to 20 minutes, then slice.
• For the sauce: Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the harissa, yogurt and honey. Season with salt. Refrigerate until serving.
• For the optional garnish: Garnish with the pomegranate seeds, mint, scallions, good olive oil and sea salt if desired. Serve with the harissa yogurt sauce.

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.

HERBED LAMB KEBABS WITH YOGURT SAUCE

Steps:

• Cut the lamb shoulder across the grain in thin slices with a sharp knife, flatten the slices between sheets of plastic wrap until they are 1/8 inch thick, and cut them into 1-inch-wide strips.
• In a saucepan whisk together the lemon juice, the thyme, the rosemary, the oregano, the pepper, and the salt, add the oil in a stream, whisking, and whisk the marinate until it is emulsified. Add the lamb strips, stir the mixture to coat the strips well with the marinade, and thread them onto the skewers, reserving the remaining marinade. Arrange the kebabs on the rack of a broiling pan, broil them under a preheated broiler about 3 inches from the heat, turning them once, for 6 minutes, and transfer them to a plate. Transfer 2 tablespoons of the juice from the broiler pan to the reserved marinade and bring the mixture to a boil. Remove the pan from the heat, whisk in the yogurt and salt and pepper to taste, and spoon the sauce over the kebabs.