Red Wine Marinated Lamb Kabobs with Greek Orzo Salad

Sunday, October 1st, 2023

Born in the Davis Estates kitchen and made to mingle with our Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon!

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8

Red Wine Marinated Lamb Kabobs

4 pounds lamb loin, trimmed and cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced oregano
4 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
½ cup mild olive oil
½ cup dry red wine
¼ cup lemon juice
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary(optional)

Greek Orzo Salad

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 red bell pepper, large-diced
1 yellow bell pepper, large-diced
1-pint mixed colored cherry tomatoes, cut in half
½ red onion, thinly sliced
½ pound feta cheese, crumbled
¾ cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
½ package of orzo (about 6 ounces uncooked) cooked according to package directions

Vinaigrette

5 cloves garlic, minced
2 ¼ teaspoons dried oregano
1 ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Tzatziki Sauce

1 English cucumber, unpeeled and seeded
2 (7-ounce) containers Greek yogurt
¼ cup sour cream
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
Pinch sugar
2 teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

Red Wine Marinated Lamb Kabobs

Combine the garlic, oregano, thyme, olive oil, red wine, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl.
Add the lamb cubes, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight or for up to 2 days. Tossing occasionally.
Loosely thread lamb on skewers. Sprinkle both sides of the lamb with salt and pepper. Discard marinade. Preheat gas grill on medium high heat.
Place skewers on grill and cook for 2-4 minutes, flip and cook an additional 2-4 minutes. Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

Greek Orzo Salad with Vinaigrette

• Place the cucumber, peppers, tomatoes, red onion, and cooked cooled orzo in a large bowl.
• For the vinaigrette, whisk together the garlic, oregano, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Still whisking, slowly add the olive oil to make an emulsion.
• Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetables and orzo then add the feta and olives and toss lightly.
• Set aside for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve at room temperature.

Tzatziki Sauce

• Grate the cucumber by hand on a box grater, as you would grate carrots. Squeeze the cucumber with your hands to remove a lot of the liquid.
• Place all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir. Let sit for 15 minutes before using.

To Finish

On a plate or serving platter, scoop a generous amount of Greek Orzo Salad with Vinaigrette. Place the Red Wine Marinated Lamb Kabobs on top. Garnish with a spoonful of Tzatziki Sauce on the side and sprinkle of chopped fresh rosemary. Serve immediately with a glass of Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon.

Bold, juicy lamb and the Davis Estates Calistoga Cabernet Sauvignon’s rich dark fruit play off the fresh, herby salad, creating a pairing that’s lively, hearty, and totally crave-worthy.