Lamb Kebabs with Potato Moutabel

What originally caught my attention in this recipe was the potatoes.  I love Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food, but I had never really thought about mashed potatoes as being part of that cuisine.  I was also intrigued by the vegetables and cheese in the lamb, which is pretty different from how I've generally seen and eaten it. 

But basically, the moutabel is like the love child of hummus and buttermilk mashed potatoes.  The nutty tahini and tangy yogurt go so well together here.  I also really liked how the peppers and mushrooms kept the lamb from being too rich.  With cumin-roasted carrots on the side, this was a great dinner that combined some more exotic flavors with familiar foods.  In the future, I think I may prepare the lamb as a meatloaf instead, for a fun twist on the classic meatloaf and mashed potato dinner.

Lamb Kebabs with Potato Moutabel
adapted from Serious Eats

What's in it:

 For the kebabs:
16 oz ground lamb
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 c finely chopped mushrooms
1 c (4 oz) finely chopped mozzarella
1/2 c coarsely chopped walnuts
1/4 c chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper

For the moutabel:
2 large baking potatoes, scrubbed but unpeeled, cut into rough chunks
3 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp tahini
2 Tbsp yogurt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground pepper

How to make it:

For the kebabs: Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix gently.  Shape the kebabs onto flat metal skewers if grilling, using about 3 tablespoons for each, shaping the meat around the top end of the skewer; alternatively, if pan-frying, form oblong patties.  Grill or pan-fry for 6–8 minutes, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through.

To make the moutabel: Cook the potatoes in a large saucepan of lightly salted water over medium heat until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl. Coarsely mash the potatoes with their skins. Add the lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, yogurt and cumin. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve the lamb kebabs with the potato moutabel.