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Grilled Kofte over Red Pepper Walnut Sauce

Counter 11 · Meatballs & Mince

Grilled Kofte over Red Pepper Walnut Sauce

Flat, grill-marked beef and lamb kofte laid over a smoky muhammara of roasted red peppers and walnuts, with pickled green peppers and a cool yogurt dip.

4.8 459 cooks rated this
Prep
25 min
Cook
12 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
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Izgara kofte are the simple grilled patties served at every Turkish kebab house, and the less you fuss with the mixture, the better they taste. Knead the meat well with salt and onion, then refrigerate an hour so the patties hold their shape on the grates. Pressing them flat with your fingers leaves little ridges that catch char. Muhammara, the Aleppo-style red pepper and walnut spread, makes a sweet, smoky bed that soaks up the juices. Grill pan or kettle grill both work.

Method

  1. Knead the beef, lamb, onion, cumin and 1 tsp salt for 3 minutes until tacky. Cover and chill 1 hour.

  2. Pulse the roasted peppers, walnuts, pomegranate molasses, panko, olive oil and remaining 1/2 tsp salt in a food processor until thick but still slightly textured.

  3. Divide the meat into 12 pieces, roll into balls and flatten each to an oval about 1/2 inch thick, pressing grooves in with your fingers.

  4. Heat a grill or cast iron grill pan to high, around 500 F. Oil the grates.

  5. Grill the kofte 3 to 4 minutes per side without moving them until well marked and 160 F inside.

  6. Spread the pepper sauce on a long platter, lay the kofte on top and serve with pickled peppers and the minted yogurt.

Rows of raw rolled meatballs on a floral china platter
Meatballs rolled and ready for the pan
Ground beef in a skillet above minced garlic and a chef knife
Browning ground beef while the garlic waits

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