Chicken skewers with yogurt-mint sauce

These chicken skewers are spicy which is balanced by the refreshing yoghurt-mint dipping sauce.  They are typically served as a tapas dish but could be served as a starter or supper dish.

Preparation Time: 20 Mins

Cooking Time: 10 Mins

Total Time: 6 Hrs

Ingredients

For 6 servings…

¼ tsp             Cumin  - seeds        

¼ tsp             Coriander seeds       

¼ tsp             Fennel seeds           

230 gms          Chicken thighs  - meat from     

2 tbs               Shallot  - sliced thinly

1 clove            Garlic  - sliced thinly  

½ tsp             Thyme  - chopped    

3 pinches         Piment d'Espelette    

½                   Lemon  - zest of, grated         

1 tsp               Salt          

1                    Egg          

3 tbs               Breadcrumbs  - dry   

10 cl               Olive oil    

For the yoghurt-mint sauce

10 cl               Yoghurt  - natural     

3 tbs               Mint  - chopped       

1 tbs               Sugar       

¼ tsp             Piment d'Espelette    

2 tsp               Lemon juice            

Method

To make the yoghurt-mint sauce…

Stir together the yogurt, mint, sugar, piment d’Espelette and lemon juice.  Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.  Bring to room temperature before serving.

To prepare and cook the chicken…

Grind the cumin, coriander and fennel seeds to a fine powder.

Mix together the chicken, shallot, garlic, thyme, piment d’Espelette, lemon zest, salt and ground spices.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or, ideally, overnight.

Preheat an oven to 190°C.

In a food processor, combine the chicken mixture, egg and breadcrumbs and process until it is the consistency of coarsely ground meat.  Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and form each portion into an oval-shaped meatball about 2½ cm thick and 3 cm long.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot.  Add the oil and warm it until it ripples.  Carefully place the meatballs in the pan, taking care not to crowd them, and cook, turning as needed, for about 4 minutes total or until lightly browned all over.  Slide the pan into the oven to finish the cooking.  Bake for 5 to 6 minutes or until cooked through.

To serve…

Slide each hot meatball lengthwise on to a small bamboo skewer and arrange the skewers on a small platter.  Accompany with the yoghurt-mint sauce.

Variations
If piment d’Espelette is not available, use paprika with a small amount of cayenne.

Wine recommendations

A red wine or a Sherry.

Conventional

     Amontillado Sherry

     Côtes du Rhône

Interesting

     Côtes de Gascogne

     Fleurie