Lamb Skewers in Green Garlic & Lemon Marinade

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Skill Level
Preparation Time 20 minutes (+ marinating time) Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 8 (2 skewers per serving) Cost Per Serving $3.20
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Image of lamb skewers in green garlic and lemon marinade

Ingredients

2 lbsLamb Leg, fat trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch cubes
1Large Red Onion, cut into 2 inch pieces
2Zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds
1/4 cup eachItalian Parsley, Fresh Mint, roughly chopped
1 tspGround Cumin
1/2 cupLemon Juice
1/2 cupGreen Garlic or Garlic Scapes (or use 6 Garlic Cloves)
1/2 cupPlain Greek Yogurt
2 tbspExtra Virgin Olive Oil
To tasteSea Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions

  1. Combine parsley, mint, cumin, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, and olive oil in a large bowl. Remove about ¼ cup of marinade and mix with yogurt.
  2. Place lamb, onion and zucchini in a glass container. Pour remaining marinade over lamb and vegetables. Cover and refrigerate. Let marinate for at least an hour, overnight if possible.
  3. Thread about 3 lamb pieces with onion and zucchini onto each skewer. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water first.
  4. Heat your barbecue or indoor cast iron grill to medium high heat. Sear the lamb skewers for a couple of minutes on each side, then lower the heat to medium and continue to cook for about 5 minutes per side until cooked well through (internal temperature of 165°F)
  5. Season to taste and serve with dressed yogurt.

Nutrition

  • ​Cancer causing chemicals called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) can form when fat from meat, poultry or fish drips onto hot coals or stones. Smoke and flare-ups, which happen more often when food is cooked at a very high temperature, can transfer PAHs to the food. To reduce the amount of fat that may drip, choose lean cuts of meat, such as skinless chicken breast, or trim off visible fat before grilling. Cooking smaller pieces of meat on a kebob can also help prevent PAHs from forming because they will spend less time on the grill.
  • Make sure meat, fish and poultry are cooked thoroughly to prevent food poisoning.  Use a food thermometer to ensure the food reaches a safe internal temperature. Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the meat. Lamb should be cooked to 71.1°C (160°F).
  • Marinades that contain lemon, lime or other fruit juices contain antioxidants that may prevent cancer-causing chemicals from forming on meat, poultry and fish during grilling. Marinate these foods for 30 minutes not only for the most flavour, but also to prevent cancer-causing chemicals from forming by up to 96%.
  • Do not use a marinade that had raw meat or fish in it on cooked foods. If you want to add some marinade to the cooked meat, set aside some marinade when you make it to use later before you add the meat or fish. Be sure to marinate foods in the fridge.