Moroccan Skewers with Fresh Salad

Ingredients

• 500 g Lamb or beef meat (2-3 cm cubes) (Cut into regular dice for even cooking)
• 3 pieces Garlic cloves (Finely mince)
• 1 piece Small red onion (Finely chop)
• 1 bunch Fresh cilantro (Leaves only, coarsely chop)
• 1 bunch Flat parsley (Leaves only, coarsely chop)
• 3 tbsp Olive oil (For the marinade)
• 1 tbsp Red wine vinegar (Adds acidity to the marinade)
• 1 tsp Ground cumin (Typical Moroccan spice)
• 1 tsp Sweet paprika (For color and flavor)
• to taste Salt
• 2 pieces Red peppers (Grilled then cut into strips)
• 2 pieces Ripe tomatoes (Blanch, peel and dice)
• 1 piece Small red onion (for the salad) (Thinly slice)
• 1 piece Fresh chili (optional) (Finely mince if you like heat)
• 1 lemon Lemon juice (Fresh, not bottled)
• 2 tbsp Olive oil (for the salad)
• 1 tbsp Vinegar (for the salad)

Instructions

1. Chop the garlic and red onion

   Finely mince the 3 garlic cloves and the small red onion. Use a manual chopper or a knife.

   Time: PT5M

2. Roughly chop cilantro and parsley

   Remove the leaves from the bunches, coarsely chop them.

   Time: PT5M

3. Mix the aromatics

   In a bowl, combine the minced garlic, onion, cilantro and parsley.

   Time: PT2M

4. Cut the meat into cubes

   Cut the lamb or beef meat into 2‑3 cm cubes.

   Time: PT10M

5. Prepare the marinade

   In a large bowl, add the meat, the herb mixture, 3 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp vinegar, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp paprika and salt. Knead for 2 minutes until each piece is well coated.

   Time: PT5M

6. Marinate the meat

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or place it in a freezer bag. Refrigerate for 2 hours so the flavors penetrate.

   Time: PT2H

   Temperature: 4°C

7. Grill the peppers

   Grill the whole peppers on the plancha or under the oven broiler until the skin blackens, then place them in a plastic bag for 5 minutes to steam.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: medium heat

8. Blanch and cut the tomatoes

   Blanch the tomatoes for 30 seconds, plunge into ice water, remove the skin and cut into 1 cm dice.

   Time: PT5M

9. Slice the red onion for the salad

   Cut the red onion into thin rounds.

   Time: PT3M

10. Finely mince the chili (optional)

    Dice the chili very finely. Remove the seeds if you want less heat.

    Time: PT2M

11. Assemble the salad

    In a salad bowl, mix the grilled peppers cut into strips, tomato dice, onion rounds, and chili. Add 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp vinegar, the juice of one lemon, salt and pepper. Toss gently.

    Time: PT5M

12. Chill the salad

    Cover the salad and keep it refrigerated until serving.

    Time: PT15M

    Temperature: 4°C

13. Preheat the pan/plancha

    Heat the pan or plancha over medium‑high heat.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: medium‑high heat

14. Cook the skewers

    Cook the skewers 5‑6 minutes each side, until nicely browned and cooked through (internal temperature ≈ 70°C).

    Time: PT12M

    Temperature: medium‑high heat

15. Serve

    Place the hot skewers on a platter, accompany with the fresh salad. Serve immediately.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

450

Protein

30 g

Carbohydrates

20 g

Fat

25 g

Fiber

5 g

Ingredient Substitutions

• Instead of Lamb or beef meat (2-3 cm cubes): Chicken, Turkey
• Instead of Garlic cloves: Garlic powder
• Instead of Small red onion: Shallot
• Instead of Fresh cilantro: Flat parsley
• Instead of Flat parsley: Cilantro
• Instead of Olive oil: Sunflower oil
• Instead of Red wine vinegar: White vinegar
• Instead of Ground cumin: Ras el hanout
• Instead of Sweet paprika: Mild chili
• Instead of Salt: Sea salt
• Instead of Red peppers: Green peppers
• Instead of Ripe tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes
• Instead of Small red onion (for the salad): Red shallot
• Instead of Fresh chili (optional): Chili powder
• Instead of Lemon juice: Lemon vinegar
• Instead of Olive oil (for the salad): Canola oil
• Instead of Vinegar (for the salad): Apple cider vinegar

Equipment Needed

• Cutting board
• Chef's knife
• Manual chopper or food processor (optional)
• Mixing bowl
• Plastic wrap or freezer bag (optional)
• Pan or plancha
• Kitchen tongs
• Tablespoon
• Teaspoon
• Salad bowl for the salad (optional)
• Serving plate (optional)

Critical Steps — Do Not Skip

• Mix the aromatics with the meat so each piece is well coated
• Marinate 2 hours in the fridge
• Cook the skewers 5‑6 minutes each side without overcooking

Chef Tips from the Video

• Soak bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes before threading to prevent burning
• Let the skewers rest 5 minutes off the heat before serving so the juices redistribute

Troubleshooting

Storage

Refrigerator: Marinated meat keeps 24 h in the refrigerator; the salad keeps 2 days chilled in an airtight container.

Freezer: Uncooked raw meat can be frozen up to 2 months (thaw in the refrigerator before marinating).

Room temperature: Do not leave cooked skewers at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Make-Ahead Tips

• Marinate the meat the day before for deeper flavor
• Grill the peppers and prepare the salad the day before; keep chilled and add lemon just before serving