Lamb Kebab & Herb Potato Salad

Father's day + sunny day = BBQ celebration!

Maybe another excuse for us to officially use our new patio set...chilly weather has been keeping us from breathing air at our back yard. Though it's still a bit cold, at least the sun made me believe that it's approaching summer instead of winter.

Lamb Kebab
(makes 12 kebabs)
Ingredients:
2 pounds lamb leg
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary
2 tsp minced fresh thyme
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large red onion
1 red bell pepper

Directions:

Soak bamboo skewers into water overnight to avoid burning during grilling.

Cut the lamb in 1½-inch cubes, around 40 cubes.

Combine garlic, rosemary, thyme, olive oil, red wine, vinegar, and 1 tsp of salt and black pepper. Add and toss the lamb cubes, cover with plastic wrap. Marinate in refrigerator overnight.

Cut the red onion and bell pepper into square pieces. Loosely thread 4 pieces of lamb onto skewers alternately with onion and bell pepper.

Sprinkle both sides of the lamb with salt and pepper.

Place the lamb skewers on the hot charcoal grill and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, turning 2 or 3 times, until the lamb is medium rare. Serve.

Herb Potato Salad
(serves 6)
Ingredients:
2 pounds small red potatoes
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 garlic clove, minced
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp whole-grain mustard
3 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
Place the potatoes and 2 tsp salt in a large pot of water. Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, until the potatoes are barely tender when pierced with a knife.

Drain the potatoes, cover with a dry kitchen towel. Leave the potatoes to steam for 15 to 20 minutes, until tender but firm.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, except eggs. Set aside.

When the potatoes are barely warm, cut them into quarters.

Place the cut potatoes in a large bowl and pour over dressing and toss well.  

Add the eggs, gently toss once again.

Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to blend. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Lamb Chops with Balsamic Sauce

If not necessary, I would get my husband away from the kitchen as far as I can. Because it's always a torture for me to clean up after he cooks. The only exception is for his signature dishes.

One of them is making lamb chops. I found even the worst cooking dumbs are always good at cooking meat.

This recipe is one of the favorites in my house. It's easy and quick for two people (we ate 3-4 small chops each). Especially when you prefer your lamb fairly plain as it's purely about the balsamic sauce, which makes the whole dish taste and smell delicious.

(makes 8 small chops)

Ingredients:

1 rack of lamb, about 7-8 chops, sliced

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary

1 teaspoon fresh basil

1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme

pinch of salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 cup finely chopped shallot

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions:

Mix together the herbs, salt and pepper. Rub the mixture onto the lamb chops on both sides. Set aside for 15 minutes.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Place lamb chops in the skillet and cook for about 3 minutes per side for medium rare, or continue to cook to your desired doneness. Remove from skillet and wrap in foil to keep warm.

Add shallots to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes until browned. Stir in vinegar to deglaze the bottom of the skillet, then stir in the chicken broth. Continue to cook and stir over medium-high heat for another 5 minutes, until the sauce reduced by half. Remove from heat, stir in butter. Pour over the lamb chops, and serve.