North African Orange & Lamb Kebabs

From EatingWell: July/August 1997, The EatingWell Healthy in a Hurry Cookbook (2006) — Subscribe Now!

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.

READER'S COMMENT:

"This is super easy and quite fabulous. I was tired of the same old lamb and gave this a try. It was super tender and the spice was perfect. My whole family gave it an A++. Definite must try if you like lamb. "

North African Orange & Lamb Kebabs Recipe

4 servings

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Nutrition Profile

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.

Tips & Notes

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; 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