You'll Want to Make These Delicious Lamb Kebabs
These Turkish-style lamb shish kebabs are juicy and delicious, perfect for dinner served family-style
- For the kebabs
- 500g lamb (neck fillet), cut into cubes
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp garlic powder (or two fat cloves garlic crushed)
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp tomato puree
- For the rice
- 1 onion
- 1 leek
- 15g butter
- 15g olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 200g rice – long grain white basmati (don’t use easy cook rice, as it is no easier and produces disappointing results!)
- 480ml chicken or veggie stock
- For the tomato leek salsa
- 100g fresh tomatoes
- 5cm of fresh leek – finely chopped
- 1/2 mild red chilli – to taste
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp olive oil
- Generously season with salt, pepper and chopped fresh parsley or coriander
To Make the Kebabs
Chop the lamb into roughly three centimetre pieces. Trim off larger pieces of fat but don’t remove it all.
Put the lamb in a bowl and add all the other ingredients. Stir well. Cover the bowl and leave to marinate in the fridge. Ideally, leave the lamb for at least two to three hours. If you need to, though, you can marinate for a minimum of half an hour. While the meat is marinating, make the salsa.
Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking and slide the meat onto eight skewers. If you are using bamboo skewers rather than metal ones, you should soak these in water first. Once you have prepared the kebabs start the rice.
Pre-heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/Gas 5. Arrange the skewers in a baking pan, ready for the oven. If you can, set them on a trivet in the pan, so that any excess fat can drain off.
Bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes. If you like, you can finish the meat off on a hot, oiled griddle or frying pan to char the edges.
To Make the Salsa
Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl, cover and leave in the fridge, allowing the flavours to mingle while you prepare the rice and the lamb.
To Make the Rice
Peel and dice the onion. Cut the clean, prepared leeks in half, then quarters lengthwise. Then dice.
Melt the butter and olive oil in a casserole or saucepan with a lid that fits well. Sauté the leek and onion gently, until soft and fragrant. This takes about five minutes.
Add the garlic and the rice. Fry gently until the grains of rice become translucent.
Season with salt and pepper. Add the stock, put the lid on and turn the heat right down (use a diffuser if necessary to keep the heat low and even). Put the kebabs in the oven.
Cook the rice for 18 minutes. Then turn the heat off and leave to rest for 10 minutes whilst the kebabs finish cooking.
Fluff up the rice with a fork and garnish with freshly chopped parsley or coriander to serve.
Cook’s Tips
Once cool, transfer leftover rice to airtight containers in the fridge and eat within two days. Alternatively, it can be frozen. Ensure the rice is thoroughly reheated and is piping hot before eating.
I like to make a double batch of the lamb and freeze the seasoned pieces for another day.
