Chef John's Kofta Kebabs

I'm excited to share what is one of my all-time favorite things to grill. This is perfect for those times when you want to take a break from grilling burgers, but you also kinda want a grilled burger, since this is basically a Mediterranean-style meatball on a stick. I know "shish" gets more love, but "kofta" might be the best kebab. Serve over a tomato, onion, and cucumber salad with flatbread or pita and a lemony tahini dressing.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 15 mins
• Total Time: 30 mins
• Calories: 288 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons water
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ medium yellow onion, diced
• ⅓ cup chopped Italian parsley
• 8 ounces ground beef
• 1 slice whole grain bread, toasted
• 4 ounces ground lamb
• 4 bamboo skewers, soaked for at least 1 hour

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Cut toasted bread slice into thin strips on a cutting board; cut strips across into a small dice.

Step 2

Place onion, parsley, and garlic on top of diced bread on the cutting board; chop until mixture resembles tabbouleh.

Step 3

Season beef and lamb with kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, paprika, cardamom, nutmeg, and cayenne. Add onion mixture and water. Mix and mash with your hands until well combined.

Step 4

Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour, up to overnight.

Step 5

Remove meat from the refrigerator and roll ¼ of the mixture into a ball using wet hands. Pierce in the middle with a bamboo skewer. Shape meat into a uniform log, about 6 inches long and 2 inches wide.

Step 6

Meanwhile, preheat a charcoal grill until coals are very hot.

Step 7

Place kebabs on the hot grill until browned and cooked through, about 12 minutes, turning every 3 minutes or so. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of a kebab should read at least 145 degrees F (63 degrees C). Serve.