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Sardinian Lamb Kabobs over Couscous
© Melanie Acevedo

Sardinian Lamb Kabobs over Couscous

Contributed by Quick From Scratch Italian
  • ACTIVE:
  • TOTAL TIME:
  • SERVINGS: 4
  • FAST

Grill or broil skewers of lemon-and-thyme-scented lamb, and then serve them atop a garlicky Sardinian couscous full of cauliflower, currants, and pine nuts.

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  1. 1/3 cup pine nuts
  2. 1 1/2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
  3. 8 tablespoons olive oil
  4. 2 teaspoons dried thyme
  5. 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  6. 1 onion, chopped
  7. 1 small head cauliflower (about 1 1/4 pounds), cut into small florets
  8. 4 cloves garlic, minced
  9. 2 teaspoons salt
  10. 1/4 teaspoon saffron (optional)
  11. 3/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
  12. 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree
  13. 1 3/4 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth or homemade stock
  14. 1/2 cup currants
  15. 1 1/2 cups couscous
  16. 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  1. In a small frying pan, toast the pine nuts over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Light the grill or heat the broiler. In a glass dish or stainless-steel pan, combine the lamb, 6 tablespoons of the oil, the thyme, and 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice.
  2. In a large frying pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the cauliflower, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is golden, about 10 minutes. Add the saffron, if using, 1 1/4 teaspoons of the salt, 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper, the tomatoes, broth, and currants. Simmer until the cauliflower is tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the couscous and parsley. Bring to a simmer. Cover, remove from the heat, and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir in the pine nuts and the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
  3. Put the lamb on skewers. Sprinkle the kabobs with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Grill or broil the kabobs, turning and basting with the marinade, until the lamb is cooked to your taste, 6 to 8 minutes for medium rare. Serve the skewers on the couscous.

Suggested Pairing

Cabernet Sauvignons from Friuli and Collio are often dismissed because they're light-bodied; however, their herbaceous flavors make them perfect for these kabobs.