Kefte Kebabs
By Candice Mahadeo
Traditionally, these little lamb kebabs are made in parts of the Middle East (kefte), Turkey (köfte) and the Mediterranean (kofta). I’ve added charred green peppers of the Turkish variety (or Shishito, Italian long peppers) for added dimension to this appetizer.
Ingredients
1 tsp Aleppo pepper (or mild paprika)*
1⁄2 tsp Sumac (or lemon zest)*
1 lb Ground lamb (or ground beef)
2 Turkish green long peppers (or 16 shishito, 4 Italian long peppers, any variety mildly spicy peppers)**
6 tbsp Olive oil
16 Toothpicks (or equivalent)
11⁄2 tsp Diamond’s Kosher salt (1 tsp if Morton’s)
2 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
3 Cloves of garlic, crushed
3⁄4 Sweet, yellow onion, roughly chopped
1⁄2 cup Parsley (curly, preferred), roughly chopped
11⁄2 tsp Ground cinnamon
11⁄2 tsp Ground all-spice
Notes:
*These spices may be difficult to find in a typical supermarket, but Amazon and eBay sell them.
**Use a mildly spicy pepper if you cannot find Turkish peppers. It is important that you know the spice level of the pepper before serving your guests. Shishito peppers can be mild but on occasion, they can be too spicy for some. Opt for a milder sweet pepper if your guests are not fond of spicy peppers. Remember to proportion your peppers to the size of the kebab to make for easy snacking.
Directions
Blend first 9 ingredients (spices, herbs, and onion) in a food processor for 1 minute. (Alternatively, mince the fresh ingredients on a cutting board, almost forming a paste. Then, add all the dry ingredients and mix them together on the cutting board.)
Divide the ground lamb into 3 equal parts. Add 1/3 of lamb to food processor and blend the meat with the seasoning mixture for about 30 seconds. Add the remaining lamb. Do not overmix. This will combine the ingredients together for a consistent texture. (Alternatively, you can knead the mixture from Step 1 into the lamb on your cutting board for 2 minutes.)
Let this mixture sit for 10 minutes at room temperature to marinate.
Meanwhile, toss peppers in 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Let sit.
Divide the lamb mixture into 16 rounded kebabs with your hands. Each kebab should be 2-3 tablespoons, around the size of golf balls.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat in a frying pan for about 1 minute.
Working in 2 batches, cook 8 kebabs for about 15 minutes. For the first 5 minutes, let the bottom half of the kebab brown. Then, using a spatula or the back of a spoon, flatten the kebabs slightly and flip to the opposite side. Lower the heat to medium and let cook for the remaining 10 minutes. Monitor intermittently to avoid burning.
Remove the kebabs with a slotted spoon and rest them on paper towels to soak up excess oil.
Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and repeat cooking process for the last 8 kebabs.
Once the kebabs are done, set them aside to stay warm.
Use a nonstick pan or frying pan for your peppers. Heat the pan over high heat for a full minute.
Char the peppers for 2 minutes on each side, or until you see that they have browned enough.
Remove from heat, sprinkle with kosher salt if desired. Chop peppers to be bite-sized when cool enough to handle, about 2 minutes.
Assembly: Top each kebab with a pepper piece, stick a toothpick into the pepper/kebab to hold them together. Serve immediately.
Wine pairing: When using a spicy pepper, any dry Riesling will counter with its sweetness. For more depth, try the kebabs with a Malbec from Argentina.