Lamb skewers oriental style

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 1,500 g lamb (e.g. from the leg, cut into cubes of approx. 1.5-2 cm)
• 1 bell pepper(s) (red)
• 1 m.-large zucchini, slim
• 6 tbsp red wine
• 6 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 large onion(s) , or 2 small ones
• 4 garlic cloves
• 5 tsp spice mix (Ras-el-hanout) *
• 1 tsp honey
• 8 tbsp olive oil
• 1 bunch parsley (finely chopped or 3-4 tbsp frozen)

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Rest time approx. 8 hours; Total time approx. 9 hours

for grilling/roasting, very tasty, aromatic marinade (also for other dark meat)

Either slice/dice the meat yourself or buy it pre-cut. I usually have my leg of lamb boned by a trusted Turkish butcher, who also dices the meat right away. Important: Leave some fat on it—otherwise, the meat will dry out! For the marinade, peel and roughly chop the onion, then puree it with the red wine and vinegar in a blender or with a hand blender. Peel and crush the garlic cloves. Stir in the tomato paste, honey, and seasoning, and mix thoroughly. Then add the oil and parsley. Place everything in a freezer bag with the meat, seal the bag tightly, and mix well with your hands so that the meat is coated with the marinade. Refrigerate for several hours (at least 6-8 hours, but 12-24 hours is fine)—mixing occasionally if possible. If using a charcoal grill, soak the wooden skewers in water (this will help the meat come off more easily afterward—and the wooden skewers won’t burn as quickly). Wash and trim the bell peppers, and cut them into the appropriate size. Do the same with the zucchini – for example, quarter them lengthwise and then cut them into not-too-thin slices (1 cm?). Skewer the meat and vegetables alternately – starting and ending with the meat if possible. Brush the vegetables with a little more of the marinade – and meanwhile, preheat the grill. Then grill the skewers all around until cooked through – which takes about 10 to 15 minutes max. You can also pan-fry the skewers or grill them in the oven. They go well with flatbread (reheated or briefly warmed on the grill), tzatziki, and shepherd’s salad or Turkish tomato salad. * Ras el hanout: Translated, this means “the merchant’s mixture” – and there are probably thousands of recipes for it. My mix is ​​quite simple: Mix 1 teaspoon each of cloves, ginger, cardamom, mace, nutmeg, black pepper, cinnamon, allspice, turmeric, coriander, sweet paprika, and hot paprika. Many of these can be used pre-ground; however, it’s better to grate the nutmeg fresh. Also, remove the cardamom from its pods and finely crush the seeds. Freshly grind the peppercorns, and roast the cumin whole, then grind it fresh.