I'd never had a lot of luck with lamb until I stumbled across these. If you get a good cut of lamb, they'll come out deliciously, mouth-meltingly tender. Don't, whatever you do, overcook them - the times given here are for well done, but you can take off 5 minutes if you want them still a little pink.

Ingredients (Serves 2)

• 1Lb lamb chump chops or 12oz of lamb leg steaks
• Two bulbs fennel
• 1 tsp fresh oregano
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 lemon
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 heaped teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• Salt and Pepper

What To Do

1. Make the marinade by mixing the oregano, garlic, olive oil and paprika in a bowl. Crush the coriander seeds in a pestle and mortar and add these too.
2. Trim all the fat and sinew off the lamb - the object is to leave it as tender and lean as possible. Cut the lamb meat into 1 inch chunks.
3. Cover the lamb pieces with the marinade and leave for 3-4 hours.
4. About an hour before you are ready to serve, wash and trim the fennel bulbs and cut each one into eight pieces. Roast in a little sunflower oil in a medium oven (190°C, Gas Mark 6) for 45 minutes.
5. Thread the lamb pieces onto two skewers (wooden skewers will help prevent the lamb being overdone in the middle), alternating with pieces of fennel. Season each kebab with a little salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 20 minutes.
6. Serve with roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables.

Variations

This recipe works well with pork as well as lamb, or you can always add some different vegetables onto the kebab. Red pepper chunks would work well, as would some green beans.

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