With lamb kebabs I aim for crusty edges, leaving the inside pink and moist. I love them (and chicken kebabs) with hummus and usually make my own because I like it garlicky and mealy. It takes minutes using tinned chickpeas and a food processor but there are some decent ready-made versions. Asparagus would be lovely with this, the spears oiled and cooked very briefly across the bbq bars, although a tomato salad with masses of chopped mint, red onion and black olives, would be good too. When outside cooking is off-limits, these kebabs can be cooked on a hot griddle rather than under the grill.
Serves 4
Prep: 25 min plus 60 min marinade
Cook: 20 min
4 lamb leg steaks or neck fillet
2 large garlic cloves
1 large lemon
4 tbsp olive oil
3 sprigs rosemary
for the hummus:
400g can chickpeas
2 garlic cloves, preferably new season
1 lemon
¼ (quarter) tsp ground cumin
shake Tabasco
1 tbsp tahini, optional
approx 100ml olive oil
12 wooden kebab sticks soaked for minimum 60 mins
Cut the lamb into small kebab size pieces. Crack the garlic with your fist and flake away the skin. Remove 2 strips lemon zest then squeeze the juice into a mixing bowl. Whisk in the oil and add zest, garlic and rosemary. Mix in the lamb. Clingfilm and chill for 60 mins. Thread the meat on kebab sticks. Cook over bbq coals at the white ash stage or on a very hot griddle, turning after 2-3 mins when a crusty edge forms. To make the hummus, drain the chickpeas saving some of the liquid. Place in the bowl of a food processor with peeled and crushed garlic, lemon juice, cumin, a generous seasoning salt and black pepper, tahini, if using, Tabasco and 2 tbsp olive oil. Blitz to roughly chop, scraping down inside the bowl a couple of times. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a steady stream. Continue until very smooth, adding extra olive oil or lemon juice for the texture you favour; I like it thick but creamy. I sometimes also add some of the reserved chickpea liquid. If it shows signs of splitting, add 1 tbsp warm water gradually, with the motor running. Taste and fine-tune the seasoning.