The following recipe for lamb kebabs is very Mediterranean, and it includes minced lamb meat, onions, fresh parsley and crunchy pine nuts. It's a fantastic dish for a hot summer day, when it's the perfect time to get the grill going for a barbecue. Even when cooked along with other fresh meat and fish, lamb kebabs, prepared correctly with the right balance of lamb fat and seasoning, will invariably stand out from the rest.

Chefs in countries like Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Turkey, where lamb is heavily used, know how to cook the meat just right. Each region, over time, has defined its kebabs by using the freshest spices. Coriander, wild oregano and cumin are just a few of the special ingredients used to raise this meat to the level of excellence.

Born in Israel, I grew up immersed in a cuisine that's a fusion of many different cultures. Lamb was always a unique dish found at barbecues with my family and friends. That instantly recognizable smell coming from the grill was so intense that it made you want to run up and grab the first kebab in sight. A lamb thigh casserole with root vegetables, something that takes a long time to cook over a small fire, always filled the house with a very appetizing aroma.

I prepare these kebabs as an appetizer in our restaurant, Dinitz, to give diners a taste of lamb so they can understand the pleasure of eating it. The perfect teaser, this is one of the favorite dishes of our regular customers.

Gilad Avital is the chef for Dinitz Restaurant,

Bílkova 12, Prague 1–Old Town. Tel. 222 313 308.