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Writer's picture52Steps

Step 16 = Lamb Meatball Skewers with Giant Minty Couscous.


- Serves 3 (with 4 meatballs each) - Ready in 1 hour - or 10 minutes less if you use ready-made meatballs -

Gather together...

EITHER,

12 ready-made lamb meat balls.

OR, make the meatballs with...

400g lamb mince.

1/2 cup breadcrumbs (shop-bought or use 5 slices of bread; toasted well, cooled in the toaster and then ripped into chunks and blitzed in batches in a food processor).

1 egg.

2 tsp dried Rosemary (I usually use fresh herbs, but Rosemary is a time-consuming herb to chop).

2 cloves of garlic, crushed or 4 tsp lazy garlic.

PLUS;

2 tbsp rapeseed oil / olive oil (for the marinade).

2 handfuls Mint leaves, chopped (I grow / buy herbs in bulk and then chop and freeze them, so they are ready to use quickly in recipes).

1 tsp medium / mild curry powder.

1 handful pine nuts, toasted.

100g dried giant couscous (or just use normal dried couscous and cook following the packet instructions).

2 tbsp rapeseed oil / olive oil (for the couscous).

1 red pepper, in 12 chunks.

150g (10 tbsp) plain yoghurt.

Pinch of ground pepper.

Serve with...

Green, mixed salad.

Pitta Breads, toasted and halved.

Get cooking...

1. Use metal skewers (2 per person) or soak wooden skewers in water for 5 minutes to stop them burning in the oven. (If you don't have skewers, just use a lightly-oiled baking tray to cook directly on.)

2. Meanwhile, (if needed) make the meatballs by mixing together the 400g of lamb mince, the 1/2 cup of breadcrumbs, the egg, the 1tsp of dried Rosemary and the 2 cloves of peeled, chopped garlic. Then divide the mixture in half, in half again and make three balls from each quarter of the mixture (giving 12 meatballs in total).

3. Marinate the meatballs in a bowl, by drizzling over the 2 tbsp ofoil and sprinkling over half (i.e. 1 handful) of the chopped mint and all of the curry powder (1 tsp). Ensure the meatballs are covered by turning them over with a fork. Leave the meatballs to marinate for a few minutes whilst you prepare other ingredients.

4. Preheat the oven to 200 C (180 C fan) or gas mark 6.

5. Toast the handful of pine nuts in a hot, dry pan on the hob for 1 -2 minutes. Set aside on a plate. Then use the pan for the giant couscous (to save on washing up).

6. Boil a full kettle of water (for the couscous).

7. Fry the 100g of giant couscous in 2 tbsp oil for 2 minutes (in the pine nut pan) and then simmer in boiling water (careful when adding the water, do so gradually, as the oil will spit and steam) for up to 15 minutes, or until tender, with the lid on. Keep adding more boiling water as needed, the couscous will absorb it quickly during the cooking time.

8. Whilst the couscous is cooking, thread the 12 lamb meatballs onto the 6 skewers,alternating with the 12 pieces of red pepper and place on a large, lightly-greased baking tray (or, if you don't have skewers, just lay the meatballs and pepper directly on to the lightly-greased tray).

9. Bake for 20 minutes in the oven, turning once halfway through cooking.

10. As soon as the skewers go into the oven, drain the giant couscous well (once it is cooked and tender), using a sieve - or it will be watery and disgusting. Set the giant couscous aside to cool (still in the sieve, but placed over a bowl to catch drips). It needs to be cool at the time of serving.

11. When the meat and pepper skewers are nearly cooked, finish making the couscous - add the 10 tbsp of yoghurt to the cooled couscous and stir well to coat, then stir in the remaining 1 handful of mint and the handful of pine nuts (which were toasted earlier). Season with a pinch of ground pepper.

12. Put the pitta breads in the toaster, then halve them.

13. Serve the lamb skewers with the yoghurty couscous, the salad, and pitta breads.

Adapted from Waitrose Magazine's 'Lamb with Minty Yoghurt Couscous' as the suggestion to rinse the couscous in cold water gave it a very washed-out, watery taste - yuck! So I swapped the order of the recipe around, meaning that the couscous is made first, giving it time to cool down naturally.

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