Lamb koftes

One of the great things about Easton is the variety of eateries.  My favourite starter at La Casbah is Lamb Koftes, and they’re also one of my favourite things to eat when we visit Trina’s sister in Istanbul – though I’m yet to be converted to the true Istanbul speciality of Cig (raw) kofte!!

Anyway, this is my take on them… the sauce is kind of a harissa sauce, although without the red peppers - paprika and chilli give it the colour.


Ingredients (makes about 12 koftes, c. 2.5” long)


for the Koftes

350g lamb mince
2 tsp each of coriander, cumin, chilli powder, paprika, ras el hanout
1 tsp each of salt and pepper
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 egg
fine semolina for dusting

For the harissa sauce (makes enough for two lots of koftes, so freeze half of it)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small aubergine, chopped into small squares
1 medium sized carrot – the older the better, as it’ll be sweeter – chopped very small (0.5cm cubes max…)
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped or crushed
splash of balsamic vinegar
8-10 dried apricot segments
1 tbsp tomato puree
2 tsp each of ras el hanout, coriander and cumin, 3 of chilli powder
About 400 ml water

Method
Combine all the ingredients for the koftes, except the semolina, mix thoroughly, then former into sausages about 2.5” long and 0.75” thick.  Place these on a plate in the fridge for an hour or so to firm them up, so they hold their shape.

For the sauce, fry the carrots for about 4 minutes until they start to colour, then add the onion until it goes golden, then the aubergine and garlic. Fry until all the oil’s been absorbed (add a little more if it looks too dry - the aubergine should start to release some once it's cooked), then add the spices, tomato puree and apricot.  Cook for about another minute, then slowly add the water, letting it absorb before adding more. Once it won’t take any more, add the rest of the water, cover and simmer for about an hour.  Once everything is soft (check the carrots), blitz mix until almost smooth, then return to the pan and keep on a low heat while you cook the koftes.

Pre-heat enough oil in a heavy frying pan to just cover the whole surface (don't put too much in, as they'll release a lot of fat while they're cooking anyway...).  Dust each kofte in turn in the semolina, so it’s completely covered, then add them to the pan. Brown on each side, turning regularly – you need to make sure each side is sealed, otherwise they’ll split.  Keep turning frequently until cooked – about ten minutes.

Tonight I've served this with a light salad, a few bits of feta cheese, and some pitta breads – i like the breads run under a splash of water, then fried in a tiny amount of oil and kept warm in tinfoil – it makes them nice and soft.  However, Trina moans about this, so otherwise, just toast ‘em!