1. Drain the onion

Grate the onion into a bowl, then transfer it to a fine-mesh sieve set over the bowl. Let it drain for 15 minutes, pressing out excess liquid with the back of a spoon. Wet onion can make the meatball mixture loose and harder to grill.

2. Make the meatball mixture

Add the ground beef, ground lamb, drained grated onion, grated garlic, sweet paprika, and salt to a mixing bowl. Mix with your hands until the meat looks cohesive and slightly sticky. This matters because there are no breadcrumbs or eggs holding the kebabs together.

3. Shape and chill

Form the mixture into 12 meatballs, each about the size of a golf ball. Place them on a tray, cover, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Cold meatballs hold better on skewers and are less likely to break apart on the grill.

4. Roast or grill the peppers

For the grill: Heat the grill to high. Rub the peppers with a little olive oil and place them on the hottest part of the grill. Turn with tongs until the skins are blackened in spots and the peppers have softened.

For the oven: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Rub the peppers with a little olive oil, place them on a baking sheet, and roast for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until softened.

5. Steam, peel, and slice the peppers

Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a plate. Let them sit until cool enough to handle. Peel off most of the skin, then remove the stems and seeds. Slice the peppers into strips. A few bits of charred skin are fine; rinsing the peppers washes away too much of their flavor.

6. Make the roasted pepper salad

Place the sliced roasted peppers in a bowl with the chopped olives, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, parsley, salt, and black pepper. Stir and let the salad sit while the kebabs grill. Taste before serving and adjust with more salt or lemon if needed.

7. Skewer the meatballs

Thread the chilled meatballs onto metal skewers. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes first. Leave a little space between the meatballs so heat can circulate.

8. Grill the kebabs

Heat the grill to medium-high. Grill the kebabs for 10 to 12 minutes, turning now and then, until browned on the outside and cooked through. The center should reach 160°F (71°C) for a beef-and-lamb mixture.

9. Serve

Serve the grilled meatball kebabs with the roasted pepper salad alongside. Spoon some of the pepper juices and olives over the plate if you like a little mess, which this recipe can handle.