MIDDLE EASTERN GROUND BEEF KABOBS WITH TZATZIKI SAUCE

Preheat your grill to 450 degrees and oil the grate.

If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 1 hour before grilling so they don’t burn on the grill.

To make the kabobs, place the onions and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and blend to a paste.  Place them in a medium size bowl and dab with paper towels to remove most of the moisture.

Add the parsley and mint to the food processor and pulse until they are finely chopped.  Add them to the bowl with the onions and add all of the spices and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil.  Mix with a fork until everything is evenly distributed.  Add the meat to the bowl and massage everything together until all of the spices and veg are evenly distributed throughout the meat.

Form about heaping ¼ cup of the meat mixture into a small ‘log’ type shape and put a skewer through the center.  Repeat with the remaining meat mixture.

Place the kabobs on the hot grill and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side until just cooked though, about 145 degrees in the center.  Total time will depend on the thickness of your kabobs.  Remove and let rest for 8-10 minutes before serving.

To make the tzatziki sauce, combine all of the ingredients together in bowl and mix to combine.  If you are making the sauce in advance, add the cucumbers just before serving so the sauce doesn’t not get watered down.

Serve the kabobs over couscous or in warm pitas topped with the tzatziki sauce.