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Hole-in-the-Wall Beef Skewers

Deborah
Beef kebabs with delicious Middle Eastern spices, go incredibly well with the zesty red onion salad.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Total Time 41 minutes
Course Main
Cuisine Middle East
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

For the onion salad:

  • 1 red onion finely sliced
  • 1 lemon juiced
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 tsp sumac (see Notes)
  • a small handful flat leaf parsley finely chopped

For the kebabs:

  • 450g beef mince (ideally use 20% fat)
  • 0.5 onion grated
  • 0.5 tsp ground allspice
  • a small handful flat leaf parsley finely chopped
  • 0.5 tsp Lebanese seven-spice or baharat (see Notes)
  • 1.5 tsp aleppo pepper (see Notes)
  • 25g pine nuts toasted
  • 2 cloves garlic crushed
  • pinch of salt

To serve:

  • 300g houmous – shop bought or homemade
  • flatbreads or pitta breads

Instructions
 

  • For step 3, if using wooden skewers – soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes.
  • Put the sliced onion into a bowl with the lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt. Mix well and leave to macerate for 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, heat the grill or barbecue to high. Put all the ingredients for the kebabs and a generous pinch of salt into a large bowl and mix well. Form into sausage- shaped patties and thread the meat onto flat skewers (these prevent the meat from turning when you flip them over on the barbecue). You should be able to make 8 kebabs. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until charred and juicy.
  • Add the sumac and parsley to the macerated onions and mix well.
  • To serve, spread the hummus on a serving dish. Lay the kebabs on top and pile on the onions. Serve immediately with flatbreads.

Notes

  • Lebanese seven-spice and baharat are both Middle Eastern spice blends. You can buy Lebanese seven-spice in Middle Eastern supermarkets. Buy baharat in larger supermarkets.
  • Aleppo pepper, or pul biber, is flaked mild red Turkish chilli pepper. Buy from Middle Eastern grocers, online or substitute with a pinch of regular dried chilli flakes. Sumac is made from dried berries and adds a sour tartness to recipes.
  • This hole-in-the-wall beef skewers recipe is easily adapted if you’re cooking for less or more people.

 

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Keyword baharat, beef mince, flatbreads, houmous, kebab, Lebanese seven-spice, pitta bread