Garlic Lamb Kebabs with Chimichurri

Ingredients:

Lamb:

1 pound lamb, preferably from the leg, cut into 1-inch cubes
Marinade:

2 Tbsp. chopped mint
1 Tbsp. chopped rosemary
3 garlic cloves, minced
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt

Chimichurri:

1/4 cup red wine vinegar
3 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. fresh oregano leaves
3/4 cup parsley leaves, packed
3/4 cup cilantro leaves, packed
1 Tbsp. honey
1 jalapeno chile, including seeds if you like it hot
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

To prepare the chimichurri:

Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend until just smooth but not to a puree. Adjust the seasoning and honey to taste. (Makes about 1 cup of sauce, which keeps for a week in the refrigerator.)

To prepare the lamb:

Mix together all the marinade ingredients and pour it over the lamb cubes, allowing the meat to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours, or overnight.

Skewer the lamb cubes and grill them to the desired temperature, over either an outside grill or a stovetop using a cast-iron grill pan. Drizzle the skewered meat liberally with the green chimichurri sauce and serve with rice pilaf or couscous. The chimichurri sauce will work equally well on steaks.

Yields 4 servings.

Recipe by Betsy Simson, the owner and director of Corner Cooks in Winnetka, Ill, as it appeared in the May 2006 issue of Chicago Magazine.