Lamb Kebabs with Parsley Sauce
Serves 6
Because most of us haven't yet dusted off our outdoor grills, these lamb kebabs are broiled. Your broiler, a fine alternative to grilling, gives you everything except a smoky flavor. Use boneless leg and trim the meat of the tough outer layer of fat and all visible gristle. After trimming, you should have 1¾ to 2 pounds of lamb to cut into chunks. Marinate them in a parsley sauce for a few hours or overnight to add flavor and help to tenderize the pieces. The rest of the lemony parsley sauce becomes the accompaniment. Serve the kebabs with the yogurt sauce, tzatziki, and pita, or over brown rice and sauteed Swiss chard.
1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves and stems (2 packed cups)
1 clove garlic
Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon (about 3 tablespoons juice)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
8 tablespoons (½ cup) olive oil
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
2¼ pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of tough outer fat and all visible gristle
Extra kosher salt (for sprinkling)
1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more if
needed (for the sauce) 1. In a food processor, combine the parsley and garlic. Pulse a few times to chop the mixture. Add the lemon rind and juice of 1 lemon, salt, pepper, and oregano. Pulse until finely chopped. Add 6 tablespoons of the oil and pulse to blend it thoroughly.
2. Remove about ½ cup of the parsley mixture and transfer to a container. Cover and refrigerate. This is the sauce.
3. To the remaining parsley mixture in the food processor, add the onion. Pulse until pureed. This is the marinade.
4. Cut the lamb into 1½-inch pieces. In a bowl, combine the lamb and onion-parsley marinade. Toss well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or as long as overnight, stirring the pieces occasionally.
5. Turn the broiler to high. Slide an oven shelf about 6 inches from the broiler element. Have on hand a broiler pan or rimmed baking sheet.
6. Scrape off excess marinade from the lamb. Thread the lamb onto 6 skewers. (You should have about 30 chunks of lamb. If there are smaller pieces, fold two or three of them together to form one chunk.) Place the skewers in the pan and sprinkle with salt.
7. Broil for 6 minutes, or until lightly browned. With tongs, turn the skewers over and continue broiling for 4 to 8 minutes, for medium rare, or 125 to 130 degrees on a meat thermometer. For medium done meat, continue broiling a few minutes more, or 130 to 135 degrees.
8. Meanwhile remove the parsley sauce from the refrigerator. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Taste for seasoning. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, or more, if you like.
9. Place the skewers on a platter and drizzle with parsley sauce. Serve the remaining sauce separately.