Sticky Tamarind-Blackcurrant Glazed Lamb Kebabs – AIP, Paleo, Whole 30, low-FODMAP
Who doesn’t get a little ho-hum-drum bored of the same ole spices and seasonings Every. Single. Day?
The Autoimmune Protocol sure does limit a lot of what we are used to flavoring our dishes with: Fruit-based spices, seed spices, and nightshade spices are all some of the most flavorful and aromatic cooking ingredients around. When we need to cut them out for a while during an elimination diet, the palette can get more than used to the small group of seasonings that remain. In those circumstances, I like to bust out the more exotic stuff to break up the routine and bring some zip into my recipes. I save flavors like mint, safflower (poor woman’s saffron), and tamarind for those occasions, to name a few.
Needless to say, Momma needed something zingy and different for supper. I had ground lamb ready to be turned into something magical. A big tube of tamarind paste from the Indian market and my jar of blackcurrant fruit preserves were both peeking out at me. Also hollering at me from le icebox was this bright green bunch of fresh mint, leftover from Hunni making us some “Nohitos” last weekend. (Aye, papi, were those DELICIOSO or what?!)
My awesome client’s father mentioned kebabs to me today, so I can’t take credit for that idea. (Thank you, kind sir!) And its a mightly good thing that I hoard kitchen items, ’cause I have a huge stack of bamboo sticks all ready for some lamb kebabs! And Momma’s belly is now a happy, un-bored belly.
If you use a food processor to mince the onions and herbs, and then to blend in the seasonings and meat, you can cut down on your prep time. It took me about five minutes to whip up the meat mixture and less than ten to form the 2″ meatballs and skewer them as I went.
Baste those lamb babes. Oh my. (I prefer a silicone basting brush so I don’t eat any stray hairs that break off of those traditional ones!)
I greased up a parchment-lined pan with high-temp olive oil (you could also use avocado oil) but next time I will scratch the parchment and use foil instead or an unlined pan, as parchment burns very quickly under a broiler. And it stinks. And because, well…fire and smoke, m’kay?
For 2″ meatballs, broil on middle rack for 5 minutes to gently char. Turn off the heat, and let sit in the oven, closed, for another 5 to finish cooking through. If your meatballs are larger, they will take longer to cook through, so be careful and check the middle for proper done-ness before honching down on ’em.
Drizzle with cold-pressed, high quality olive oil and a dollop of my No-Mess No-Egg Mayo if desired, then NOMMMMMNOMMMYNOM them sticky-tangy-minty-salty thangs.
These are made even tastier with radicchio or lettuce wraps, or even plantain tortillas. But I ate three kebabs all by their lonesomes, and I ain’t complainin’!
- 6 medium green onions, roughly chopped (for low-FODMAP, use only green parts)
- 1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly torn
- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, roughly torn
- 2 lb ground lamb
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder -or- 2 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press (omit for low-FODMAP)
- 12 pc 8" or longer bamboo skewers, ran through water for a moment
- GLAZE
- 1/4 cup blackcurrant preserves (no added sugar) (for low-FODMAP, substitute lingonberry or blueberry preserves)
- 1 tsp tamarind paste
(use one that has only tamarind and water as ingredients; can also be found inexpensively at Asian or Indian markets)
- 2 Tb coconut nectar
(omit for low-FODMAP and Whole 30)
(use one that has only tamarind and water as ingredients; can also be found inexpensively at Asian or Indian markets)
(omit for low-FODMAP and Whole 30)- Pulse onions, mint and parsley in food processor until minced.
- Add lamb in small handfuls, evenly dispersed around processor bowl. Sprinkle over salt and garlic.
- Pulse a few times, then turn to on and allow to mix for one minute, stopping halfway through to scrape down sides and help even out mixture if necessary.
- Stir glaze ingredients well together in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
- Oil a foil-lined jelly roll pan with high-heat olive oil or avocado oil.
- Make 1.5" meatballs with meat mixture and skewer them as you go onto the sticks (you can probably fit around 3 or 4 on an 8" stick). Place them on the baking pan so that they aren't touching.
- Ensure there is a rack centered in the oven, and turn oven to broil.
- Using a silicone basting brush
, baste the tops of the kebabs with the glaze.
- Place in oven and allow to broil for 5 minutes or until the tops begin to caramelize.
- Turn off broiler and keep kebabs in the oven for 5 more minutes.
, baste the tops of the kebabs with the glaze.- If your meatballs are larger, they will take longer to cook through, so just check to make sure they are thoroughly cooked before eating.
- Alternately, you can bake these at 400 for 11 to 14 minutes, but they won't have caramelized glaze. The glaze will be softer and not as sticky.
Photo credits:
Blackcurrants: https://pixabay.com/en/users/PublicDomainImages-327722/
Tamarind: https://pixabay.com/en/users/PublicDomainPictures-14/
Mojitos: https://pixabay.com/en/users/StockSnap-894430/
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