Wood-Grilled Lamb Tsukune, Moorish Spices, Date-Fish Sauce Teriyaki, Coriander
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Recipe Provided By
Chef Josh ElliottServings
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Ingredients
Moorish Spice Rub (makes 1 quart):
- 1 cup toasted coriander seeds
- 1 cup fennel seeds
- 1/2 cup granulated garlic
- 1/2 cup onion powder
- 1/2 cup kosher salt
- 1/4 cup toasted cumin seeds
- 2 tablespoons ground chipotle
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons sweet pimenton
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Date-Fish Sauce Teriyaki (makes 1 quart):
- 2 cups dates, roughly chopped
- 1 cup date syrup
- 3 tablespoons banyuls vinegar
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- Kosher salt
Lamb Tsukune (makes 40 to 45 meatballs):
- 4 pounds ground American Lamb
To Assemble and Serve:
- Kosher salt
- Lemon juice
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Fleur de sel
- 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- Fresh mint leaves
Directions
For the Moorish Spice Rub: In a blender, pulse coriander seeds, fennel seeds, garlic, onion powder, salt, cumin seeds, chipotle, ginger, pimenton and cinnamon until a coarse powder is achieved. Transfer to an airtight container; store in a cool dry place.
For the Date-Fish Sauce Teriyaki: In a mixing bowl, combine dates, date syrup, banyuls vinegar, red wine vinegar, fish sauce and salt. Adjust seasoning with salt as needed. Transfer to an airtight container; reserve.
For the Lamb Tsukune: In a shallow baking dish, liberally season lamb with 1 cup Moorish Spice Rub. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight. The next day, using a 1-1/2-ounch scoop, spoon ground lamb mixture onto a parchment-lined sheet tray. Refrigerate.
To Assemble and Serve: Soak bamboo sticks in water; set aside. Prepare and heat a grill. Set one side of the grill to 500°F and the other to 350°F. Skewer two Lamb Tsukune onto each bamboo stick. Lightly season skewers with salt on all sides. Grill skewers over the 500°F side of the grill 3 minutes while basting with Date-Fish Sauce Teriyaki. Move skewers to the lower heat section; grill an additional 3 to 4 minutes, or until desired doneness is achieved. Transfer skewers to a serving platter. Drizzle with additional Date-Fish Sauce Teriyaki. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, olive oil and fleur de sel. Garnish with herbs.
USDA recommends the following time and temperature parameters
Ground Lamb
Internal temperature of 160°F
All Other Cuts
Internal temperature of 145°F, with a 3 minute rest