Kefta Kebabs

lamarb's Note:

A delightfully tangy, healthy, eye catching serving. Sure to amaze your guests.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

Kebabs

• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus
• 1 pinch kosher salt
• 1 lb ground beef or 1 lb ground chicken or 1 lb ground turkey or 1 lb ground lamb
• 3 tablespoons onions, grated
• 3 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• olive oil, for brushing the grill

Tzatziki (Greek yogurt and cucumber sauce)

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 medium cucumber, peeled
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus a pinch
• 1/2 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mint
• warmed pita bread

Directions:

1. Kebabs:.
2. Smash and peel the garlic cloves, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear mixture to a coarse paste. Mix the paste and the remaining 1 tablespoon salt with the meat, onion, parsley, and spices.
3. Divide the meat mixture into 20 rough balls. Mold each piece around the pointed end of a skewer (if you use wooden ones, soak them in water for 15 minutes before threading them), making a 2-inch oval kebab that comes to a point just covering the tip of the skewer. Lay the skewers on a pan, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.
4. Heat a grill pan over medium heat or prepare a grill. Brush the pan lightly with olive oil. Working in batches, grill the kebabs, turning occasionally to get pleasing grill lines , until cooked through, about 12 minutes.
5. Tzatziki:
6. If you're using plain whole milk yogurt, line a small sieve with a coffee filter. Put the yogurt in it, set it over a bowl, and refrigerate 12 hours. Discard the expressed liquid and put yogurt in the bowl.
7. Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater into another bowl. Sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons salt and rub into the cucumber with your hands. Set aside 20 minutes, then squeeze the cucumbers to express as much liquid as possible.
8. Smash the garlic, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, and, with the flat side of a large knife, mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste. Stir the cucumber, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, and mint into the yogurt. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
9. To serve, lay out two kebabs on individual plates, flnked by a pita and a dollup of the sauce. Each guest should spoon some tzatziki into a pita and insert two kebabs.

Reviews

[Chef #750017]

These came out really yummy, but very salty. The tatziki sauce helped balance it out though. Next time I'll use a teaspoon of salt instead of a tablespoon.