Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki

Recipe courtesy Food Network Kitchens Cookbook, Meredith Books, October 2003

Show: Sara's SecretsEpisode: Butcher's Basics

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (16)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(16)

Cook Time:
20 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
4 to 6 servings

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: 30 min
Cook: 20 min
Total:: 1 hr 5 min

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Ingredients

Kebabs:

4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus a pinch
1 pound ground beef chuck or lamb
3 tablespoons grated onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
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
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil, for brushing the grill
Tzatziki, recipe follows
Grilled flat bread

Directions

Smash 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.

Line a pan with aluminum foil. Divide the meat mixture into 28 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 the pan, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 12 hours.

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, until brown all over and just cooked through, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with tzatziki and flat bread.

Tzatziki: Yogurt Sauce (Greek yogurt and cucumber sauce)

2 cups plain whole milk yogurt or 1 cup Middle Eastern-style plain yogurt

1 medium cucumber, peeled, halved, and seeded

2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus a pinch

1/2 clove garlic

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon dried mint, crumbled

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.

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.

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.

Yield: 1 1/4 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Inactive Prep Time: 1 hour

Ease of preparation: easy

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki
Kristan Herriman, UT 08-31-2009
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ONLY USE 1 TEASPOON OF SALT AND NOT 1 TABLESPOON
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Other than the salt being overpowering, this dish is amazing. Cut the salt to 1 teaspoon. THe kebabs were flavorful and... intensely satisfying. The spices give off a wonderful perfume and I highly recommend toasting whole coriander and cumin in a dry pan and then grinding it in a spice mill. Wonderous sauce and an amazing combination!Read more
recipe Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki
Jenny Madison, WI 06-21-2009
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Great recipe!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

We put a total of maybe 1/2 tsp of salt into the entire dish, and it was great. We generally don't cook with salt, so I... usually leave most of it out. This dish had enough spice going on that it wasn't missed! My husband and I both agreed it would probably be best with lamb, but beef was what we had on hand. I used the yogut sauce from Bobby Flay's Big Fat Greco Burger b/c his recipe didn't involved the grating process and included my favorite cheese - feta! We will be using the left over sauce for his burger. On thing that puzzled me was the directions on wrapping the meat around the skewers. The way it's worded, it sounds like one meatball per skewer. I divided my meat into 6 oblong balls, 1.5 inches in diameter by about 2.5 inches long. One ball was good for a light eater and two for a heavier eater. Great recipe, one that will surely be repeated again! Read more
recipe Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki
Blu Littleton, CO 04-07-2009
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Fragrant
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

It's delicious and fragrant. It really hits many senses. Dare I say it, it even tasted better than the authentic Middle... Eastern restaurant where we used to get our kofta.Read more
recipe Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki
Michelle Newport Beach, CA 03-17-2009
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Terrific recipe!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I have made this recipe for a couple of years & always get compliments. I only use 1 teaspoon of salt. I use 1 lb. ground... beef and 1/4 lb. ground lamb. The lamb gives the meat depth that I like. Instead of making the tzatziki, I cheat and buy it at Trader Joe's along with the Mediterranean Hummus and whole wheat pita! I add a romaine salad with feta, tomatoes, black olives and red onion with a red-wine vinaigrette and it is a beautiful dinner!Read more
recipe Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki
Anonymous 09-14-2008
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Great seasoning but too much salt
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

There was too much salt. just a bit too much in the lamb(our favorite) and way too much in the tzatiki sauce making it... all.... way too salty. The seasonings were great. It's easy to do. Just watch the salt.... you can always add more but it's impossible to get it out. I intend to make this for a Christmas party but will be careful w/ the salt:-)Read more
recipe Kofta Kebabs with Tzatziki
JoAnna New York, NY 05-31-2008
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WAY TOO SALTY!
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

These would be good if you added 1 tsp. of salt instead of 1 tbsp. Unfortunately they were inedible as is.