In Morocco, men are masters of the fire, in charge of the brochettes, the small kebabs threaded on little wood or metal skewers, which are traditional street food. The ground meat kebabs are deliciously aromatic—full of fresh herbs and spices. The meat is usually pressed around skewers and cooked over dying embers, but it is easier simply to pat the meat into sausage or burger shapes and cook them under the broiler or on a griddle. There should be a good amount of fat (it melts away under the fierce heat), enough to keep the meat moist and soft. Otherwise, work 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil into the paste. Bite-size keftas can be served as appetizers at a party, but en famille burger-size ones, accompanied by a salad, represent a main dish.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　2 pounds fatty ground lamb or beef

　　1 small onion, finely chopped or grated

　　Large handful of chopped flat-leaf parsley

　　Large handful of chopped coriander

　　Handful of chopped mint

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

　　1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

　　1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

　　Good pinch of ground chili pepper

　　Salt

　　

Step 1

Put all the ingredients together in a bowl. Mix well and work with your hands into a soft paste. Wash your hands and rub them with oil. Take lumps of paste the size of a tangerine and roll them into sausage shapes about 3/4 inch thick, then press them around flat wooden skewers. Alternatively, shape the meat into burgers.

　　

Step 2

Place the keftas on a heat-proof serving dish or on a piece of foil on a baking tray and cook under the preheated broiler for about 10 minutes, turning them over once, until browned on the outside but still pink inside.

　　

Step 3

Serve hot with good bread and a salad of cucumber, tomato, and red onion, dressed with lemon juice and olive oil.

　　Arabesque