David and I honeymooned in Crete, and anytime we taste something remotely similar to the food we had there, we sigh with the memory. Our very first meal on the island was Kofta Kebab & Fries from room service. We were so exhausted from two connecting flights, and the whole wedding thing, that we didn’t even consider leaving the property. No matter, it was delicious, and allowed us to stuff our faces from the comfort of our room’s patio, overlooking the crystalline Mirabello Bay, before crashing into our pillows to remedy the jetlag.

So, even though this recipe is modified and simplified , and served with a grain salad instead of fries, the flavor is still close enough to the original to give us the warm-fuzzies. It takes the kofta-style beef mixture, but cooks it in a pan like a meatball (perfect for us grill-less cooks). The salad is a cross between a tabbouleh and a Greek salad, and the spiced yogurt is the perfect accompaniment for the beef, some pita, or even mixing into the grains.

The total time includes some resting time. While this isn’t critical, as with any meatball, I find it’s better to let them firm up a bit in the fridge. This also gives you a good opportunity to pull the salad together. I’ve written the recipe to allow for this time, so if you choose to skip the resting time, just be sure to cut up all your veggies before you start cooking.

Kinda Kofta, with Freekeh Tabbouleh Salad

Recipe by Too Many SpoonsCourse: DinnerCuisine: Beef

Servings

servings

Cost

Total time

minutes

Ingredients

3/4 cup freekeh, bulgur, or a similar grain
2 cups water
1/2 tsp + 1 tsp salt, divided
1/2 red onion
2 cloves garlic
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/4 lb ground beef (85/15 works well)
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 English cucumber
1 cup grape tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 tbsp + 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
3 tbsp lemon juice

Directions

In a small saucepot, combine the freekeh with the water and 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the red onion half in half again. Finely chop one of the quarters and set it aside. Take the other quarter and grate it on the large holes of a box grater. Grate the garlic on the small holes.
In a medium bowl, combine the grated onion, garlic, cumin, coriander, remaining salt, and pepper. Mix well until it looks like a rough paste. Remove half (about 1 tbsp) to a small bowl.
Add the ground beef to the onion mixture in the medium bowl, gently mixing it in with your hands. Form the mixture into 8 oval patties. (I roll each into a ball first, then roll it between my palms to get more of the oval shape). Place the patties in the fridge for about 15 minutes to set up.
The grains should be done cooking around now too. Let them sit, covered, for 5 minutes, then drain any extra water if needed, and spread on a plate or low bowl to cool.
Mix the yogurt into the remaining onion mixture in the small bowl, and set aside to serve.
Cut the cumber into quarters lengthwise, then cut into slices. Halve the tomatoes. Roughly chop the parsley. Combine all this, plus the remaining chopped red onion, in a large bowl.
Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Gently place the patties in the pan. You can use your spatula to press them down a little when they first hit the pan, but after this try to leave them alone so they stay juicy. Cook for about 5-7 minutes per side, until nicely browned and cooked through. When done, let them rest for a few minutes while you mix the salad together.
Add the cooled freekeh to the vegetables in the large bowl, and mix well to get it all evenly distributed. Mix in 3 tbsp each of olive oil and lemon juice. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
To serve, spoon some of the grains onto a plate, top with 2 patties, and dollop the yogurt over top.