Mediterranean Kofta

Kofta meatballs. Photo by PattyCooks.

Diet
[x] Flexitarian + Omnivore
[O] Vegetarian + Pescatarian
[O] Vegan
[x] Gluten free
[x] Keto
[x] Weight Main: proportion
[x] Mediterranean
[x] Lectin Avoidance
[x] Oxalate Avoidance
[x] Purine Avoidance

Kofta

A Kofta beef-lamb recipe used for baking meatballs, meatloaf, or grilled on skewers.
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Course: Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: meatballs, skewered meats, meatloaf
Servings: 0
Calories:
Author: Patty

Ingredients

Meat

  • 1 # ground lamb
  • 1 # ground chuck

Veggie

  • 1/2 C grated red onion (use a grate or dice the onion, up to you)

Spices + Herbs

  • 2 T minced fresh parsley
  • 1 t minced fresh oregano
  • 3 T minced fresh mint
  • 2 t cumin seeds crushed in pestle and mortar
  • 1/4 t cayenne
  • 1 t salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 T red wine vinegar

Instructions

Mise en Place

  • Set up meat workstation (bowl for mixing the meats and veggies/herbs).
  • Defrost meats if required. Set oven to 350F.
  • Setup veggie station (discard bowl, chefs knife, damp rag, bench scraper) and add measuring spoon and pestle and mortar.

Meat

  • Combine the two meats into a bowl. Add salt and pepper and mix the meats by hand so they are incorporated.

Add flavor

  • Add grated red onions (or diced onions if you prefer)
  • Finely chop and add parsley, oregano and mint
  • Add wine. Then mix again with your hands so every handfull will have a full mixture of what you have made.

Type of Cooking

  • SKEWERS: Using your hands, grab a handful of meat mixture and roll into logs ~3-4″ long and ~1″ wide, make 4-6 logs depending upon the number of servings you want. Insert a skewer and cook. (If you have time make a marinade of: wine, chooped oregano, mint, onion and garlic. While grilling dip the skewers every so often into the marinade to prevent drying out.)
  • MEATBALLS: Grab a handfull and round out, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Once full into the 350F oven for 45 minutes.
  • MEATLOAF: I add breadcrumbs to the meat mixture and 2T lemon juice. I want the breadcrumbs to soak up moisture to help keep the loaf from drying out. Then spray oil a loaf pan, put the meat mixture into the pan and bake for ~50 minutes. Test doneness with a thermometer (internal temp 160f). When I serve this I also include Tzatziki sauce.

Notes

Kofta is a meat dish from Indian subcontinent, South Caucasian, Middle Eastern, Balkan, and Central Asian cuisines. Kofta is presented as baked meatballs, placed on skewers and grilled, or as a meatloaf, This is a dish of combined beef + lamb mixed with onions, spices and herbs.