My mother often made this kofta during a time when we used to host family dinners for upwards of thirty people. Ground meat—better if it wasn’t too lean—was ordered from the butcher. An enormous dish of meat topped with tomato slices was brought to the ferran, the community oven. This was the only oven big enough for the pan my mother used. She served her kofta with French fries or spicy potatoes, though they are good with flatbread, too.
Though our family served this only on special holidays such as Christmas or Easter, this is comfort food all the way. I usually use small or medium potatoes, as they take less time to cook than larger ones. Ground beef can be substituted for lamb.
Known to some as Tamale Pie, this one-dish meal is great for busy weeknights because it’s quick, easy, and filling. Our family changed the name because it bears no resemblance to a tamale, but whatever you call it, it’s sure to draw everyone to the table.
Ingredients
In Israel stuffed vegetables like these are a culinary treasure.
When a reader named Quinn suggested a recipe that used both lentils and meat, I started thinking about how veggie burgers and beef burgers each have their own strengths. Why not combine the two ideas to create a burger with meaty flavor but the lean protein and low cost of lentils?
The haunting scent of allspice balanced with bright lemon juice and flecks of nuts make these Middle Eastern kofta (meat patties) hard to resist. This recipe is Sally’s savior as she lives with a major carnivore (exactly the opposite of how she likes to eat). She uses 80% to 85% ground chuck, but because there is so much flavor here, you can use leaner meat and still have no fear of cooking them to well done as recommended. Serve them with simple brown jasmine rice or the Golden Rice Salad, and a spoonful of Cucumber Yogurt Salad.
Ragù di carne (bolognese)
(Bolognese meat sauce)
I love kebabs, which is why I can't help making them at any backyard party. These kebabs utilize the same combination of herbs that I add to many of my dishes: mint, parsley and cilantro. Here, the addition of grated onion keeps the meat moist. Even a well-fed sheikh would be proud of this dish!