Lamb Meatball Appetizers

2 lb. ground lamb

4 tsp fresh mint, chopped

4 tsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

Grated peel of one lemon

1 T garlic, minced

1 ½ tsp coriander seed, ground

1 tsp cumin seed, ground

1 tsp black pepper, ground

1 tsp kosher salt

1 lb feta cheese in block form

15 greek olives

60 bamboo skewers

60 pieces of fresh mint

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

For the meatballs:

Mix the meat and other ingredients until just combined and everything is well distributed. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of the meat and form into balls. Place the formed meatballs on a sheet pan. Place the meatballs 1 -2 inches apart, you will need two large sheet pans. These can be made ahead and held in the refrigerator until ready to bake.

Bake the meatballs for about 20 minutes, or until nicely browned on the outside and cooked through.

Slice the olives into strips. If the olives have pits, just slice the meat off the sides of the olive and then cut into strips if the olive pieces are large.

Cut the feta cheese into ½ inch cubes.

Stage the garnish for the meatballs on a sheet pan by placing a small piece of mint on a feta cube and top with a slice of olive. Leaving the feta in place on the pan, pierce a skewer through the stack. By pushing the skewer into the cube of feta sitting on the pan, it's much easier to get the skewer straight. Set aside until the meatballs are cooked.

Once the meatballs are cooked, pick up a bamboo skewer with the garnish on it and gently push it into a meatball, then transfer the finished hors d'oeuvre to a serving platter. The skewer should stand nice and straight by pushing into them while they rest on the sheet pan.