Good hot or cold
Look out for packs of mixed red and white quinoa with bulgur wheat, which cooks in just 10 minutes and makes a great change from rice. Any leftovers can be packed into a plastic box and taken to work for lunch.
Serves 4
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 10-14 minutes
Lamb skewers
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, roughly crushed
- 1 teaspoon peppercorns, roughly crushed, plus a little extra
- 1 lemon, juice only
- 2 teaspoons runny honey
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Few salt flakes
- 700g (1lb 9oz) lean lamb leg steaks, cubed
- 125g (41/2oz) fine asparagus
Quinoa salad
- 750ml (11/4 pint) vegetable stock
- 200g (7oz) mixed red and white quinoa with bulghar wheat
- 1 red onion, halved, thinly sliced
- 200g (7oz) blackberries
- 100g (4oz) sun blush tomatoes in oil, drained
- Small handful flat leafed parsley, roughly chopped
- Small handful fresh mint, roughly chopped
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, halved
- Add the garlic, crushed cumin and peppercorns to a shallow dish; add the lemon juice, honey, 1 tablespoon oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and fork together to mix. Add the cubed lamb and toss in the garlic mixture then thread on to 8 small metal skewers. Toss the asparagus with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and a little extra salt and pepper.
- For the quinoa salad, bring the stock to the boil in a saucepan; add the quinoa mix and simmer for 12 minutes or until the grains are just beginning to separate.
- Pour off any excess stock, leaving just enough in the pan to keep the quinoa moist. Tip into a bowl then add the remaining salad ingredients and toss together with a two spoons.
- Preheat a griddle pan or grill and cook the lamb skewers for 10-12 minutes, turning several times until browned. Take out of the pan, add the asparagus and cook for 3-4 minutes until just tender.
- Add the asparagus to the salad then serve with the lamb skewers. Squeeze over lemon juice to taste.
