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Lamb Kefta

Adapted from Persiana: Recipes from the Middle East & Beyond by Sabrina Ghayour
Kefta is prepared differently around the world; it's sometimes grilled, and sometimes simmered in spiced tomato sauce, for example. I cooked mine on a grill but a griddle pan on the stovetop, or in a skillet with some oil, works well.
I upped the spaces a bit from the original recipes. If you'd like, the spices and seasonings can be adjusted as you wish. Common ingredients include, but aren't limited to, allspice, Aleppo pepper, coriander, dried mint, cloves, garlic, dill, and oregano, as well as the cashews I swapped out for the pine nuts Sabrina suggested. (Walnuts are another possibility.) Whew! Those are a heckuva lot of options. And those are just some of them.
I also swapped out chopped dried cranberries for the currants. (Which Sabrina does in another version here.) If you can get them, barberries, which are used frequently in Persian cuisine, add a wonderful bright "pop" of flavor. (Their flavor is similar to goji berries, which are available at well-stocked supermarkets and natural food stores.) Dried sour cherries are sometimes used in Persian rice dishes, so you could use them in place of the dried cranberries. Or stick with dried currants.
Lastly, while I made these with a plant-based meat substitute, you can make them with ground lamb, beef, pork, or ground dark meat chicken or turkey.
Course Main Course
Servings 15 meat patties
  • 1 pound (450g) plant-based meat substitute, or ground meat or poultry (see headnote)
  • 1 medium onion or 4 scallions (using the white and the tender green parts), finely chopped
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 1/4 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt, (if using Morton's kosher salt, reduce it to 1 teaspoon)
  • freshly ground black pepper, or Aleppo pepper
  • 1/2 cup (60g) chopped toasted cashews, or 1/4 cup (50g) toasted pine nuts
  • 1/4 cup (35g) chopped dried cranberries, or dried currants
  • 1/2 cup (30g) chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, and fresh mint (you can use just one or a mix)
  • 1 -2 large eggs
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the meat substitute (or meat or poultry) with the onions or scallions, spices and salt. Season liberally with black or Aleppo pepper. Add the cashews or pine nuts, cranberries, fresh herbs, and 1 egg, and mix well with your clean hands until everything is very well incorporated.
  • If the mixture seems dry, and it feels like it won't hold together into patties, beat another egg in a small bowl with a fork and add just enough of that so it'll hold together.
    (If in the end the mixture seems too soft, you can cover and chill it for a few hours, which will make it easier to form into patties.)
  • Shape the kefta into patties about 3-inches (7-8cm) round, and set them in a single layer or a dinner plate that's lined with parchment paper.
  • Cook the kefta patties on a medium-high grill, brushing oil on the grill grate before putting the patties on to cook, turning them once, until they're cooked through. They'll take just a few minutes. If you don't have a grill, they can be cooked in a skillet on the stovetop in vegetable oil or simmered in spiced tomato sauce.

Notes

Storage: The patties can be made up to two days in advance and refrigerated. Once cooked, they can be frozen for up to several months. 
Serving: Serve with a salad, such as a green salad, summer tomato salad, or tabbouleh. They can also be served with rice or couscous, grilled vegetables, or wrapped in flatbread with yogurt tahini sauce spiked with minced garlic.