Chef notes
This dish highlighting anchovies and rosemary is loaded with anti-oxidants, has a balance of nutritious plant and animal proteins and is packed with micro-nutrients. The micro-nutrients are made bio-available with abundant healthy fats from both the anchovies and from the lamb. They're naturally low in simple carbohydrates and sugar which means no insulin spike, which in turn means less stress on the hormonal system, no white fat production and....wait for it....LONGEVITY!!!!
Rosemary has been shown to increase blood circulation to the brain and contains anti-inflammatory immune system support compounds. Anchovies often get a bad rap, but that's because too many people associate their flavor with the overly fishy taste of cheap quality anchovies on pizza from our childhood. Good anchovies are often packaged in glass jars with olive oil and are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids--an integral healthy fat that helps with the production of healthy HDL cholesterol. In addition to all that, they go brilliantly with lamb!!!
RELATED: Anchovies and rosemary: Recipes for adding the super foods to your diet
Ingredients
- 8 sprigs rosemary
- 1/2 pound lamb top round or lamb loin, cubed into 1-inch pieces
- Salt and pepper
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 Japanese eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Olive oil
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- 1/2 cup parsley
- 6 fillets salt-cured anchovies in oil
- 1/4 clove garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 1 lemon, zested
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 lemon, zested, for serving
Preparation
For the Grilled Lamb Kebabs:
Preheat a grill or grill pan. Strip the rosemary sprigs of almost all of the leaves, with a few remaining leaves at one end. Reserve the leaves that have been stripped. Season the lamb cubes with the salt and pepper, lemon zest and reserved rosemary leaves. Thread the lamb and eggplant on the stripped rosemary sprigs, alternating. Grill over medium high for 2 minutes per side for medium-rare.
For the Anchovy Salsa Verde:
In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except for the oil. Pulse until the mixture is smooth and chopped. With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Season to taste.
To Serve:
Place two kebabs on each plate and finish with a drizzle of salsa verde and a micro plane of lemon zest. Serve immediately.
