Moroccan Beef Kebabs

• 1 lb. extra lean ground beef
• 3 T. finely chopped chives
• 2 cloves gar­lic, finely minced
• 1 T.­ finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• ½ tsp. allspice
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Salt and black pepper
• Olive oil, for brush­ing kebabs

Mix all of the kebab ingre­di­ents together in a bowl. Cover with plas­tic wrap and refrig­er­ate for about ­­an hour to absorb the flavors. (If you are using wooden skewers, soak them in water while you are refrigerating the meat.)

Wet your hands, and take out a small hand­ful of meat mix­ture out of the bowl, then shape it into a kebab cylin­der about 3 inches long. Press the kebab into the skewer, spin­ning the bot­tom of the skewer with one hand and mak­ing the final kebab shape with the palm of the other. Lay the kebabs down on a cookie sheet ­​­lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, cover with plas­tic wrap, and refrig­er­ate until ready for the grill. (This actually works best if the kebabs have at least a half hour to rest in the refrigerator before it's time to cook them.)

Pre­heat the grill­ to medium-​high­. Brush the kebabs with olive oil. Place on the grill and cook, with the grill lid down, for 2 to 3 min­utes on each side, or until done to your lik­ing. Turn only once.

• Yields: 10-12 skewers
• Preparation Time: 90 minutes