I’ve been meaning to make the Lamb Kebabs with Charmoula Citrus Dressing from Joyce Goldstein’s Mediterranean Fresh cookbook for a while now and I couldn’t put it off any longer.   Chermoula is a Moroccan sauce flavored with lemon, garlic, parsley, cilantro, paprika and cumin.  It is zesty and extremely flavorful without being overwhelming.  Since it is not overwhelming it is an extremely versatile sauce.  I use it to marinate chicken and fish, as a dip for pita, as dressing for pasta salads…so be creative!  I served the kebabs with a couscous salad and roasted cauliflower for a simple and delicious meal.  I would recommend pairing this meal with a rose, pinot noir or other lighter red wine such as a Chinon or a cotes du rhone.

Lamb Kebabs with Charmoula Citrus Dressing

Adapted from Mediterranean Fresh by Joyce Goldstein Serves 4

2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of fat and sinews and cut into cubes.  I also really like lamb shoulder for kebabs.  It’s a little more work than the leg of lamb to bone out the shoulder blade, but I find that it is a more tender and flavorful cut.

1 small shallot, roughly chopped

1 cup of Charmoula Citrus Dressing (recipe follows)

Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper

Combine the shallot and the dressing in a blender and puree.  Pour this mixture over the meat and toss well to cover.   Marinate overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for a few hours.  (I marinated my lamb at room temperature for about 2 hours.)  Bring the lamb to room temperature before grilling or broiling.  Preheat your broiler or grill.  Thread the meat onto the skewers. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Broil or grill to desired doneness.  Serve immediately.

Charmoula Citrus Dressing (1 cup)

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

3 cloves of garlic, grated or minced

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. cumin

Pinch of cayenne

2 Tbsp. Parsley

2 Tbsp. Cilantro

½ c. olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste.

Although the recipe says to mix this by hand, I found it much easier to put all of the ingredients in the blender and puree it.   This worked out really well, and I had one less bowl to wash at the end of the night.

As Julia used to say, Bon Appetit!