Harissa Lamb Kebabs + Jamaican Jerk Chicken Drumsticks

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We’ve taken the barbecue out of the shed and been firing up the coals recently, which means barbecue season is well and truly on its way! Throwing a BBQ in the summer months is one of my favourite ways of entertaining family and friends, and I’m always on the look out for new recipes and ingredients to switch things up!

I was recently sent a jar each of Moroccan Harissa Marinade and  Jamaican Jerk Marinade from Encona Taste Explorers to use at home, and they screamed “use me in a barbecue recipe” (not literally of course :P ) and so that’s exactly what I did.

The harissa marinade is classed as a mild on the chilli heat scale, but we found it packed a powerful punch, hitting you right in the back of the throat! However, the blend of spices, which red chilli, garlic Puree, coriander, vinegar, paprika, cumin and mint, gave the lamb and vegetable kebabs we made such a delicious flavour.

There is no thinking involved with these marinades, which recommend 2 hours minimum, or overnight if you can. We skewered cubes of lamb, aubergine, mushrooms, peppers and cherry tomatoes onto bamboo skewers, after marinating them all for a few hours. They were then cooked over hot coals for about 7 – 8 minutes until the meat was cooked through. Served with a couscous salad, olives, hoummus and pita bread, it made for a delicious meal to enjoy out in the sunshine.

We used the Jamaican Jerk marinade on chicken drumsticks. I’m pretty paranoid about cooking chicken on the bone, from raw, on the barbecue, so after marinading these for a few hours, they went into the oven to cook through first, and then finished off on the grill over coals.

We expected the jerk marinade to be super hot, since it is famed for using Scotch bonnet peppers which are notoriously spicy, but, we were pleasantly surprised to find out how sweet the marinade was. Flavourings include hot peppers, onion, pimento, garlic, black pepper and thyme.

I presented the jerk chicken drumsticks on a bed of lettuce with some orange wedges, which, after eating a drumstick or two, was really refreshing to eat afterwards!

Of the two flavours, we preferred the Jamaican Jerk over the Moroccan Harissa, and it’s the former that I know we will be buying again and again (in fact, we’ve already added it to this week’s shopping list. You can find Encona in all the major supermarkets, and online too. They are around £1.99 for a 180g jar, but my local supermarket currently have them on special for a quid, so time to stock up!

Here are more Chicken Recipes for you to enjoy. Right-click and open a new tab to read next.

Have you tried Encona Taste Explorers’ sauces and marinades before?

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