Mini Lamb Koftas with Pomegranate Wine Sauce
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
55 mins
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Chilling time
30 mins
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Servings
16 meatballs
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Calories
154 kcal
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Course
Appetizer
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Cuisine
Middle Eastern
Mini Lamb Koftas with Pomegranate Wine Sauce
Description
Mini Lamb Koftas with Pomegranate Wine Sauce combine ground lamb with a mix of ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, smoked paprika, cinnamon, cayenne, fresh minced herbs, and finely chopped onions and garlic. Wheat germ is added for binding and texture. The mixture is gently combined to avoid toughening, then shaped into small oval shapes and chilled to firm them before cooking.
The koftas are browned in olive oil until cooked through, resulting in a flavorful crust and moist interior. The accompanying sauce is prepared by reducing red wine and pomegranate juice with cinnamon until thickened, providing a deeply flavored, fruity, and spiced complement to the savory meat.
These koftas can be skewered for serving, pairing well with the rich sauce. Alternatively, if omitting the sauce, a simple Greek yogurt dip with lemon, herbs, and tahini is suggested to balance the spices and meatiness.
For best texture in the koftas, finely mincing the onions, shallots, and garlic and draining excess moisture helps maintain a firm meatball structure without excess water.
Ingredients
For the koftas
- 1 egg
- 1 medium onion very finely minced
- 1 shallot very finely minced
- 2 cloves garlic crushed and minced
- 1 tsp cumin ground
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp Turmeric ground
- 1 tsp smoked paprika hot
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
- 2 Tbsp Coriander cilantro, minced fresh
- 2 Tbsp mint minced, fresh
- 1 lb ground lamb lean
- salt to taste, freshly ground
- black pepper to taste, freshly ground
- 1/2 cup wheat germ
- 2 Tbsp olive oil for frying
For the pomegranate wine sauce
- 2 cups red wine
- 2 cups pomegranate juice
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the koftas
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg. Mix in everything else, except the olive oil. Break apart the lamb into chunks as you add it to help evenly distribute it without over mixing. Although you want to get all the ingredients well combined, over working the meat will toughen your koftas. If your mixture is very wet, add a little more wheat germ.
- Using a tablespoon or small scoop, take a small portion of meat and roll it in your hands, first into a round ball to firm it up, and then back and forth to elongate it into an oval shape.
- Set the kofta on a tray and place in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This will firm them up further.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet and brown the kofta on both sides. Continue cooking until they are cooked through and an instant read thermometer reads 160. This will only take a few minutes.
- Skewer each kofta with a long cocktail toothpick and serve with a small amount of the pomegranate sauce.
For the pomegranate wine sauce
- Bring the wine and juice to a boil in a saucepan. Continue boiling, uncovered, until the sauce is reduced and thickened, almost 45 minutes. Whisk in the cinnamon towards the end of the cooking. You should be left with about 1/2 cup of ambrosia! Don't waste a drop!
Notes
- Finely mince onion, shallot, and garlic and drain any excess liquid to avoid soggy koftas.
- Chilling koftas before cooking helps them maintain their shape during frying.
- If you skip the wine sauce, serve with Greek yogurt mixed with lemon, cilantro or mint, and optionally tahini for a fresh dip.
- The recipe is adapted from Rachel Allen.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 16meatballs
Amount Per Serving
Calories 154 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1meatball | |
| Calories | 154kcal | 8% |
| Carbohydrates | 8g | 3% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 8g | 12% |
| Saturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 4g | 20% |
| Trans Fat | 0.5g | 25% |
| Cholesterol | 31mg | 10% |
| Sodium | 31mg | 1% |
| Potassium | 175mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 5g | 10% |
| Vitamin A | 162IU | 3% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 21mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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