While most kofte are quite smooth in texture, this one has the nutty graininess of bulgur, the staple grain of the Middle East. It’s best to season these even more than you would Grilled Meat Kofte (page 355)—the bulgur cuts the lamb’s flavor—and broil or panfry them; they are too delicate to grill.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　1/2 cup fine bulgur

　　1 pound boneless lamb, preferably from the shoulder, excess fat removed

　　1 medium onion, peeled and quartered

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　2 garlic cloves

　　Pinch of cayenne

　　1 teaspoon cumin

　　1 egg

　　1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

　　4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter or oil for panfrying, optional

　　Flour for dredging, optional

　　

Step 1

Rinse the bulgur, then put it in a bowl. Cover with boiling water (about 2 cups) and let sit until tender (taste it), 15 to 30 minutes. Drain thoroughly.

　　

Step 2

Cut the lamb into large chunks and put in a food processor with the bulgur, onion, a large pinch of salt, some pepper, the garlic, cayenne, cumin, and egg. Process until quite smooth, stopping the machine and scraping down the sides if necessary. Mix in the parsley by hand.

　　

Step 3

To broil, preheat the broiler—the rack should be about 4 inches from the heat source—and shape the kofte into 4 or 6 elongated (small football-shaped) meatballs. Broil, turning once, until nice and brown, about 10 minutes total. To panfry, shape the kofte into 8 small patties. Put the butter if you’re using it in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat. When the butter melts, dredge each of the patties lightly in the flour if you wish—shaking lightly to shed the excess—and fry, rotating as necessary and turning once or twice, until crisp and golden on each side, about 10 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

　　

Kofte with Chickpeas or Nuts

Step 4

Substitute 1 cup cooked chickpeas or toasted walnuts (see Toasted Sesame Seeds, page 596) for the bulgur. Do not cook, but grind thoroughly before adding the meat. Proceed as in step 2.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.