If you feel like immersing yourself in more primitive times or would love to be a contestant on Survivor, then you need to start cooking things on a stick. There’s no simpler way to capture the taste of summer than to make your own meat kebabs and char them over a hot grill.
I made these Yogurt Plumped Lamb Kebabs from a fantastic yogurt based recipe book by Cheryl Sternman Rule. Cheryl’s book called Yogurt Culture is full of fantastic yogurt recipes far surpassing plain breakfasts of yogurt and granola or popsicles. The recipes range from drinks and dips all the way to marinades and amazing baked goods. I never knew a simple tub of yogurt could produce so much deliciousness! The secret to keeping the lamb tender is to marinade it in Stonyfield Whole Milk Yogurt along with some paprika and turmeric. The yogurt will help tenderize the lamb and seal in all of those spicy flavors. This recipe couldn’t be any simpler, the hardest part is waiting on the marinade working it’s magic.
I also made a batch of Cheryl’s Avocado Ranch Dressing as a dip for the chunks of juicy lamb. You might never go back to store bought ranch after you see how easy it can be to make your own, and it’s full of creamy avocado! Just whisk together all of the ingredients and then transfer to a blender to and add the avocado. I used this whisk from OXO which, like any OXO product is so easy to use You can have this dip ready in no time, but try and make it a day ahead to let the flavors get friendly with one another. I like to keep my lamb rare, leaving you the easy task of tearing of a chunk and dipping it deep into that avocado ranch for a perfect summer dinner.
You can win your own Yogurt Culture book!! Just leave a comment letting me what you love to make or eat with yogurt.
Giveaway ends 10pm PST June 12th. Open to U.S residents only. Winner will be notified via email.
Yogurt Plumped Lamb Kebabs
Ingredients
For The Avocado Dressing
- 1 cup whole milk yogurt- not Greek
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh scallions or chives
- 2 1/2 teaspoons of white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/2 of an avocado
For The Lamb Kebabs
- 3/4 cup whole milk yogurt
- tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 pounds to 2 1/2 lamb cut into small cubes
- Cooking oil spray
- Lemon for garnish
- Red onions are optional
- 4 in wooden skewers previously soaked water
Instructions
- in a bowl, whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, water, chives/scallions, vinegar, onion powder,salt and pepper.
- Mince the garlic clove and add to the bowl.
- Transfer the whole mixture to a blender and add the peeled avocado.
- Blend until smooth and keep in the refrigerator.
- In another large bowl whisk the yogurt, oil, paprika, turmeric, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Add the lamb and coat well. Cover with plastic wrap for 4-12 hours.
- Heat your grill to high and start to feed the lamb onto the skewers along with chunks of red onion and wedges of lemon.
- Spray your grill with the oil spray and place the kebabs onto the grill.
- Grill the skewers for about 10-16 minutes making sure to turn them over now and again.
- Once the lamb is ready, let it rest for 5 minutes and serve with some white rice and the avocado ranch dressing.
- Garnish with fresh chive if desired.
Notes
Book cover photograph by Ellen Silverman
Nutrition
An entire yogurt book? I must check this out! Wonderful! I like the old standby of using yogurt in baking. But I also eat a Greek yogurt for breakfast a couple times a week. I never met a yogurt I didn’t like.
I love to make cakes with greek yogurt, but I also like having greek yogurt with fresh fruit and granola.
I don’t remember the last time I cooked with yogurt. I generally just eat it out of the container or put it on my face as a mask. I have made yogurt dressings that were delicious.
I love lamb, but never thought of making kebabs; this recipe looks so good – I’m going to have to make it this summer.
I like to marinate meat in yogurt to keep it tender! It’s crucial for chicken tikka masala.
Yogurt is main part of everyday food in Iran & actually we can’t live without it, believe it or not I must have my bowl of plain yogurt mixed w/chopped chocolate mint, tarragon, grated cucumber, salt & pepper w/my dinner every night! I even make my own gallon of homemade yogurt w/gallon of organic 100% grass-fed whole milk mixed w/2-3 oz of organic 100% grass-fed whole milk yogurt bc it’s much healthier beside using yogurt in almost everything I make, from cooking ,baking to marinate! Specially when using it as marinade for making lamb or chicken kebabs, it adds so much flavor & deliciousness to kababs!, the taste is almost out of this world! Am 70 years old woman, live alone in APT & even though not allow to use grill but I LOVE to COOK & BAKE for myself & I believe am late for chance of winning your wonderful book but just want to say love your recipe
!