When I heard about May being Celiac Awareness month, I got to work on creating a new, fulfilling dish that is delicious and gluten-free. Staying away from carbs for dietary or medical reasons does not mean you must go hungry. There is no reason to walk away from the table not feeling completely full!
Aaron’s Gourmet Emporium, located in Rego Park, NY, specializes in the not-so-ordinary exotic produce of the kosher market. They kindly shipped me a squab, quail, and kosher lamb prosciutto, all of which were gluten-free and an exciting experience to cook. I took the lamb “bacon” and paired it with cubes of lamb and beef from my local butcher to create marinated kebabs. (You can also make this recipe with baby chicken.) They were bursting with flavor, but needed something starchy as a side. Quinoa is a great alternative to rice, mashed potatoes, or noodles. It’s gluten-free, a superfood, and quite easy to cook. Not only is it good for you, but it tastes good, too. Warning: This delicious and satisfying recipe will leave you feeling quite satiated and proud of yourself for eating well. #glutenfreegoodness
Lamb Kebabs with Roasted Veggie Quinoa
Ingredients:
1 package Lamb “Bacon”
1 lb. beef cubes
1 lb. lamb cubes
Cherry tomatoes
1 cup olive oil
Fresh sage
5 tsp soy sauce
6 garlic cloves
Salt and pepper
4 tsp lemon juice
Metal skewers
For Quinoa:
2 cups quinoa
4 cups chicken broth
Olive oil
1 each of zucchini, butternut squash, onion, red pepper, yellow pepper, green pepper, diced
Garlic powder, onion powder, salt, paprika
3 tbsp teriyaki sauce
Directions:
In the morning, start assembling your kebabs. Take a metal skewer, and layer lamb “bacon,” cubes of lamb, chicken, or beef, and cherry tomatoes, and repeat. This recipe should make about 6 skewers.
Whisk together one cup olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon juice, soy sauce, and minced fresh garlic. Cut up the sage leaves and add that to the mix.
Pour the marinade over the kebabs in a big plastic bag. Let the kebabs sit in the marinade for at least five hours.
Then, grill your kebabs to your liking or broil in the oven on a baking sheet until crispy and browned.
To make the quinoa, pour cups of chicken broth into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, cut up the veggies and lay them flat on a baking sheet. Drizzle them with generous amounts of olive oil and spices. Place in the oven and broil on high.
When the stock is boiling, add the quinoa and lower the flame. Let it cook for fifteen minutes, then turn off heat. The quinoa should soak up all the liquid and become nice and tender.
While still hot, add teriyaki sauce. It will melt into the quinoa and give it an added depth of flavor.
Take out your roasted veggies from the oven, and add them to the quinoa. It’s okay if they are a little oily, the quinoa will soak up the flavor.
Layer your kebabs on top of the quinoa and enjoy!