Lamb Kufte and Stuffed Tomatoes

Grilled Lamb Kufte with Herbs

I have been home almost a week and one half now. My jet lag has waned but my memories of my wonderful trip to Istanbul and other parts of Turkey are still sharp in my mind. I think I will try my hand at making lamb meat kufte today. The lamb kufte along with stuffed tomatoes, lentil soup, and some cut up Persian cucumbers should make a nice dinner that my husband and I will enjoy. I drove over to my kosher butcher shop Doheney ^[1]Kosher Meat on Pico Boulevard and purchased two pounds of ground lamb.

I was very impressed with the clean organic flavors of Turkish food on my trip. They use a lot of vegetables, fresh herbs, and mild seasoning along with a few chilies here and there. The tomatoes are incredible as everything is fresh harvest and Turkey’s climate and soil makes for great produce. ^[2]

Nothing tastes like meat grilled over an open flame from charcoal but I will be satisfied with my outdoor gas grill. We switched to gas many years ago when my brother-in-law the oncologist said it wasn’t good to eat charcoal grilled foods as many times a week as we grill. Oh well, I made up my recipe from bits and pieces I gathered from people in Turkey. Everyone was eager to share his or her twist on how to do kufte. There is literally a kufte restaurant on every corner and on every stretch of highway!

2 pounds fresh ground spring lamb
½ cup finely chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped mint
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
½ to one teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1-2 tablespoons baharat seasoning
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup cold water
½ cup panko crumbs
Additional oil for brushing the outside

^{[3] [4] [5]}Preheat your grill to medium high. Combine the lamb with all the ingredients and mix well. Form into torpedo shaped ovals and set on a plate. You can make between 12 to 15 kufte from two pounds of ground lamb. Brush the kufte with a little olive oil and place them on the grill using a tongs or your hands. Grill them and when they have blackened grill marks, give them a turn. They only need a few minutes on each side, like hamburgers. When the kufte reach the desired doneness, remove them from the grill, and place them on a clean plate. I served them with grilled onions, and rice stuffed tomatoes. ^[6]