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More barbecue! The lamb marinated in mint and vinegar brings up the lamb flavor in a unique way that’s hard to describe, but very tasty. Enjoy with a strong red wine such as a bottle of 2003 Cooper-Garrod Cabernet, produced less than 10 miles from here.

Ingredients for the marinade

- 2 TBSP fresh mint (use 1/2 tsp dry mint if fresh is not available)
- 1/2 tsp dry dill
- 1/2 tsp dry basil
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 lbs lamb shoulder (or leg), diced into about 1 inch cubes
- 1 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 large shallots, finely chopped
- 3 TBSP olive oil

Steps for the marinade

- chop the mint and place into a non reactive bowl large enough to hold the lamb cubes
- add the dill, basil and coriander, salt and pepper. Mix well
- cut the lamb into 1 inch cubes and place into the bowl and mix in so the lamb is uniformly coated with the spices
- cover and refrigerate for about an hour
- add the vinegar and shallots, and mix well
- cover and refrigerate overnight

Steps for grilling the lamb kebabs

- heat your grill to high
- while the grill is warming up, place the lamb pieces on the skewers (I prefer to use flat ones, it is easier to turn)
- sprinkle some olive oil on the kebabs
- cook 10 minutes all together (3 minutes one side, 3 minutes opposite side, then 2 minutes each on the last 2 sides) for medium rare
- each time you turn, spread some more olive oil with a brush so the lamb does not dry
- serve immediately
- Enjoy!

More barbecue! The lamb marinated in mint and vinegar brings up the lamb flavor in a unique way that’s hard to describe, but very tasty. Enjoy with a strong red wine such as a bottle of 2003 Cooper-Garrod Cabernet, produced less than 10 miles from here.

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This post (and recipe) is dedicated to the life and memory of a good friend of mine, Tomoaki Sawada, a.k.a. Sawada-san. I had been working with him for several years, and met him multiple times here and in Japan. Every time, he had been so good to me. He liked good food, and he liked to drink, Sake, and Shoju. I made that recipe today, but was not planning to post for a while, but this is only fitting that I post today.

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As I’ve mentioned before, I love shish kebabs. This is an other tasty variation, with a northern african flavor: Paprika and Cumin. There is something special about these spices, they combine into such an enticing flavor, and create an unforgettable experience.

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I love mushrooms. So if a recipe comes along with mushroom, some cream, some crunchy bits, I’ll have to try it. This makes quite a refreshing starter course, and you can make it look fancy without much effort. What more is there to ask for?

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I’ve always found shish kebabs fascinating. Perhaps it is the spear like action of the metal onto the meat, or because they are very easy to cook, as they will cook very evenly if you only cook each side 2 or 3 minutes. Maybe there’s also the mix of the meat with the veggies, or the color combination that’s always very attractive.

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Grilled beef? Hmmm, good. Spicy food? Hmmm, good. Grilled spicy beef, now, that’s something good!!! This Santa Maria style TriTip is going to ravish more than one meat connoisseur. You get to enjoy the fire of the spices along with the high heat from the fire that seared the meat!

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