Party hummus with spiced lamb or beef recipe

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound ground lamb or beef
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup (packed) finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• ¼ cup (packed) finely chopped fresh mint

• Platters of homemade or store-bought pickles, such as cornichons, Pickled Red Onions, pickled cauliflower, and/ or pickled garlic
• Plates of chopped fresh herbs, such as mint, flat-leaf parsley, and/or cilantro
• Little bowls of harissa or other hot sauce, yogurt, and tahini
• Big bowls of sliced ripe tomatoes and cubed cucumber
• Lemon wedges
• Olive oil
• Warm pita

1. Now make the lamb. Heat a large, heavy (preferably cast-iron) skillet over medium-high heat, then add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the lamb, garlic, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt, and several grinds of pepper and cook, stirring to break up the lamb, for 1 minute. Then let the lamb cook undisturbed for 4 minutes, stir again to break it up some more, and let it cook undisturbed for 4 minutes more. Repeat two or three more times, until much of the lamb’s juice has evaporated and the lamb has crispy, golden-brown edges. (Watch it at the end, when the lamb will really start frying don’t let it burn!) Use a slotted spoon to transfer the lamb to a bowl, then stir in half of the parsley and mint; pile the remaining herbs on top.
2. Set the hummus and lamb on the table with the pickles, herbs, hot sauce, yogurt, tahini, vegetables, lemons, olive oil, and pita, and let your guests pile it all on their plates (starting with a base layer of hummus) themselves.