Ingredients:
Serves 2 to 4
For the kefta:
- 3 tablespoons minced red onions
- 3 tablespoons minced herbs (mix of Italian parsley, cilantro and mint)
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1-pound ground lamb or beef
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 1 heaping teaspoon minced herbs (mix of Italian parsley, cilantro and mint)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, or to taste
- Pinch of kosher salt
For the chickpeas:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
- 1 tablespoon minced red onion
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
- 1 teaspoon harissa paste
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin (preferably toasted and ground yourself)
- 1/2 teaspoon pimentón (smoked Spanish paprika) or paprika
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup chicken stock or water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon minced herbs (mix of Italian parsley, cilantro and mint) for garnish
To serve:
Store-bought naan breads.
For the kefta, toss the onions, minced herbs, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the beater blade (or a large mixing bowl) and mix until combined. Add the ground lamb and beat until all of the ingredients are incorporated, about 1 minute. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes to an hour while you finish getting everything else ready for dinner.
Grab a handful of meat, form into an oblong, sausage-like shape. Repeat with remaining meat. (You can also form them into any shape you like, such as flat patties, meatballs, or torpedoes, and cook them skewered or un-skewered.)
Heat a large griddle or grill pan over medium-high and generously coat with cooking oil. Once the oil is sizzling, add the skewers and cook until deep golden brown on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until meat is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more.
For the yogurt sauce, combine the yogurt, herbs, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
For the chickpeas, heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes, followed by the garlic for another 20 seconds or so. Add the chickpeas, harissa, cumin, pimentón and a generous pinch of salt. Pour in the chicken stock and increase heat to high; simmer until the mixture is almost dry.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning. Drizzle with additional olive oil before serving.
Gianluca Paris is the Executive Chef and owner of Luca’s Mediterranean Café, a fine dining restaurant, The Market at Luca’s, offering light bistro style fare and gourmet take out and Luca's Culinary Journey Catering in Keene, New Hampshire, where he lives with his wife Lindy and his two children. He is the recipient of many accolades, including “Excellence in Dining” and “Best Service/Wait staff” every year since 2002 from Market Surveys of America, along with “Best Mediterranean Restaurant,” “Best Fine Dining Restaurant,” “Best Caterer in New Hampshire,” and, for four years, “Best Restaurant in the Monadnock Region” from New Hampshire Magazine.