Pomegranate-Glazed Kofta Kebabs
On the grill!
Hi and welcome to Susanality, a newsletter by me, Susan Spungen, that celebrates seasonal cooking. If you enjoy today’s recipe, please help spread the word by forwarding this email to others who may like it too!
First of all, welcome to all the new readers! I’m so happy that you’re here!
Today's recipe is for kofta kebabs, which are essentially meatballs. Kofta have numerous variations and are enjoyed in many different countries, cultures, and cuisines, with some regional differences. Originally an Arabic dish, they likely traveled the ancient trade routes and became part of the cuisines of Greece, Turkey, North Africa, and Spain, as well as throughout the Middle East. The salad I made to go with them is a bit of a mashup of all those cuisines!
I love using lamb when I make kofta, but you could use any kind of ground meat you prefer. Any of them — beef, pork, chicken, or even the non-traditional turkey — make a good blank canvas for the spices and herbs that give kofta their distinctive flavor.
These are so easy to cook on the grill. They can be prepared completely ahead of time; in fact, it’s better if you do. The chilled meat holds together best, plus it allows some time for the flavors to meld. This means you can get them mixed, threaded onto skewers, and ready to go up to a day ahead of when you want to serve. It’s easy to make plenty for a get-together (and without breaking the bank!), like maybe for Father’s Day? The grilling itself takes less than 10 minutes and is hard to mess up. If you choose chicken or turkey, do make sure you cook them all the way through, which might take a few minutes longer.
Now, I know you have some metal skewers in your utensil drawer, right? If not, they are available for very few dollars in your supermarket, so pick them up when you do your grocery shopping. They are not absolutely essential — but they make things a lot easier when it comes to grilling. If you don't have them, you can just cook the egg-shaped meatballs directly on the grill, but it’s way more efficient to turn four or five skewers than 22 individual meatballs. And in case you’re wondering: Do not even bother with bamboo skewers here — or really ever, for the grill. They will just burn up. Soaking them in water does very little to prevent this, despite what you may have been told!!
My own personal twist on this recipe is adding a little sweet-tart glaze at the end, which is a lovely foil for the rich lamb, redolent with spices. I love pomegranate molasses, but it can be a little hard to find (still!). It’s really easy to make something similar — and dare I say, better — though, simply by boiling down a bottle of fresh pomegranate juice, which can be found just about anywhere. This step is totally optional, but I do think it adds a little something extra.
I like serving these kofta hot off the grill with this salad and some kind of grain, such as bulgur (I used Bob’s Red Mill red bulgur). I really love cracked freekeh for this, but, sadly, it doesn’t seem to be available in my supermarket anymore — not sure about yours. Thankfully, it’s easy to order online. Freekeh is young green wheat that’s smoked, lending it a mysterious flavor and unusual color. It’s one of my favorite grains.
Leftover kofta can be served the next day (warmed up) with some warm flatbreads, a swipe of yogurt or labneh, and lots of fresh herbs or some of the leftover salad. Yum!
In other news
Speaking of grilling, in my Memorial Day weekend newsletter, I linked to some of my favorite summer recipes from the past year, and my friend Jenny Rosenstrach shared my Tamarind Grilled Chicken recipe with her readers on Dinner: A Love Story. Many of you are now here, so welcome! Thanks, Jenny, for helping to shine a light on this enigmatic ingredient. I’m glad to see so many people eager to experiment with it. If you have a jar of tamarind paste lingering in your fridge from that time you made Pad Thai, here’s a great way to use it!
My favorite tongs
A final note before we get to today’s recipes. On Wednesday I sent Grilling 101 — a how-to guide for safe and delicious grilling — to my paid subscribers. In it I shared technique tips, such as how to best avoid flare ups and when to apply a sticky glaze, as well as my go-to grilling tools. Right after I hit send, I realized that I forgot one of my most beloved tools! My tongs! These are my very favorite pair, whether I’m cooking inside or out. As most chefs say, “They’re an extension of my hand” — which is true. I find that the fancy tool sets that are sold for the “grill master” in your life are usually over-designed, too heavy, and just not as nimble as these are.
If you’re a grilling novice, you may find the guide helpful. And if you love to grill, you may enjoy seeing my tried and tested tools — those that I’ve relied throughout my career in test kitchens, on movie sets, and at home.
Pomegranate-Glazed Kofta Kebabs
Serves 4 to 6
You can use pre-ground cumin and coriander here, but make sure they're fresh — meaning, they’re not ancient and they smell good. You’ll get bonus points for toasting the spices yourself in a dry, hot pan, then grinding in a spice grinder. You won't believe the difference in flavor! You can take another short cut and chop the herbs in the food processor after doing the onions. Just make sure to stop short of a puree.
1 (16-ounce) bottle pomegranate juice (like Pom Wonderful)
2 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane
1 medium onion, grated or chopped in food processor and squeezed of excess liquid
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ pounds ground lamb or beef
Vegetable oil, for the grill
Metal skewers
Pour the pomegranate juice into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook at a strong simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until syrupy. It should have been reduced to about 1/4 cup. Pour into a small bowl and set aside.
Combine garlic, onion, mint, parsley, cumin, coriander, cayenne, cinnamon, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and stir to mix well.
Add lamb or beef and mix by hand until thoroughly combined.
Form 20-22 egg-shaped meatballs and thread them onto metal skewers. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, and for up to 1 day.
Prepare a grill for direct cooking at medium heat. Use a folded paper towel soaked in vegetable oil to oil the grill. Grill skewers for 3-4 minutes per side.
Brush the pomegranate glaze onto 1 side and cook for 1 minute to set the glaze. Flip the skewers, brush glaze onto the other side, and let cook for 1 more minute. Once the glaze is set, remove skewers from grill.
Serve with the chopped salad and cooked bulgur or freekeh.
Mediterranean Chopped Salad
Serves 4 to 6
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
3 mini cucumbers, peeled and cut into rounds
2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata or black oil-cured olives, torn into halves
10 to 12 cocktail tomatoes, halved or quartered depending on size
1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
A pinch or two of dried oregano
Big handful Italian parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
Big handful dill, plus more for the garnish
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds (arils)
2 ounces crumbled feta
A sprinkle of sumac (optional)
Toss the peppers, cucumbers, scallions, olives, and tomatoes together in a serving bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil, and drizzle over the salad.
Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and oregano and toss gently. Fold in the fresh herbs. Top with pomegranate seeds, feta, sumac (if using), and more herbs for garnish.
Edited by Molly Ramsey
Finally made this meal tonight with ground lamb.....so delicious, as was the fresh salad! Your recipes are such a hit and inspire me to invite friends over! As always, thank you so much!
Super excited to make these recipes!