This is my Proust’s Madeleine. It reminds me of my first holidays by myself in Spain. Almost everyday I was nuying them at the supermarket and it was my official meal. Many variations in the marinade (chilli pepper only and /or with other spices), the pinchos are meat skewers that need to be grilled on a charcoal bbq to taste them at their best. Simply wow!

Serves 4

Ready in 10 minutes + time for the marinade

700 grams meat (chicken, beef, Pork, lamb at your choice) diced

1 medium sized onion

half lemon – squeezed

2 garlic cloves finely minced

2 tbs chilli pepper flakes

2 tbs ground cumin

half tsp ground black pepper

1 pinch of saffron

the tip of a tsp on ground cinnamon

half tsp salt

50 ml extra virgin olive oil

optional: 1 tbs fresh cilantro finely chopped

Heat the saffron on a tablespoon heated directly on the fire, until it gets toasted – it should take a few seconds. This step intensifies the taste of saffron (not necessary but nice to do, after all details make a difference!)

Mince (or better grate) the onion and the garlic, put in a container and mix all the ingredients (excluding the meat), or use a mortar and a pestle to have a very smooth sauce.

NOTA: it would be ideal to use a pestle to do this operation.

When the sauce is smooth, add the meat, mix well and put in a plastic bag. Refrigerate 24h or keep at room temperature 4h.

Put the meat onto the skewers and bbq them 2 or 3 minutes per side. The bbq should be open fire and very hot (so the outside gets flamed and the inside is still juicy).