North African Orange & Lamb Kebabs
This spicy yogurt marinade tenderizes lamb beautifully--but it's not a long process, as with some marinades. Twenty minutes does the trick. Here, the lamb is paired with orange sections, which sear and turn slightly bitter, a bracing complement to the meat.
From EatingWell: July/August 1997, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006)
Yield: 4 servings
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 pound lean leg of lamb, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
- 2 seedless oranges, unpeeled, quartered and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
Preparation
- Preheat grill to high.
- Combine cilantro, parsley, garlic, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper in a food processor; process until the herbs are finely chopped. Add yogurt and lemon juice; process until smooth. Scrape into a medium bowl, add lamb and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Thread lamb and orange slices alternately onto 8 skewers. Discard marinade.
- Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the kebabs, turning occasionally, until cooked to desired doneness, 7 to 10 minutes for medium-rare. Serve immediately.
- Make Ahead Tip: Equipment: Eight 10-inch skewers (see Tip)
- To oil a grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.)
- To grill with wooden skewers: Wrap the exposed parts with foil to keep them from burning. (Contrary to conventional wisdom, soaking skewers in water doesn't protect them.)
Nutrition Per serving:
199 calories; 5 g fat (2 g sat, 2 g mono); 73 mg cholesterol; 12 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 25 g protein; 2 g fiber; 377 mg sodium; 514 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin C (90% daily value), Selenium (39% dv), Zinc (30% dv), Vitamin A (25% dv), Folate (16% dv).
1 Carbohydrate Serving
Exchanges: 1/2 fruit, 3 lean meat
