Beef Koftas with Grilled Harissa Vegetables & Preserved Lemon Yoghurt

Koftas

1kg beef mince, 20% fat

2 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried mint

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

Zest of 1 lemon

Harissa Vegetables

4-6 medium tomatoes

4 red, yellow or orange peppers

1 tablespoon harissa paste

Salt & pepper

Preserved Lemon & Garlic Yoghurt

4 tablespoons Greek yoghurt

2 medium sized preserved lemons (or the juice of one lemon & a teaspoon salt)

1 garlic clove

Salt & pepper

Pickled Onions & Chillies

1 red onion

2 red chillies

75g White Wine Vinegar

75g Boiling Water

75g Sugar

Pinch of Salt

Garnish

100g Feta Cheese

2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts

Fresh coriander leaves

Fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped

If you’re cooking on a BBQ that’s quick to bring to temperature, like a Weber, then get your prep done before you light it; if you’re cooking on a kamado or gravity-fed charcoal BBQ, you can prep while you bring your BBQ to temperature. In all scenarios, set your BBQ up for high heat grilling that you’re able to control & temper by closing the lid.

Make the kofta mix. Combine all the spices, herbs, seasonings & lemon zest and mix through the beef mince by hand until evenly distributed. Split the mix into 4 or 8 depending on how large you want to make the koftas.

Squeeze each ball of kofte mix into a sausage shape before pushing a flat skewer through from end to end – this method creates a better bond between the kofta and the skewer than forming the meat around the skewer. Pop the koftas back in the fridge until you’re ready to cook, which helps them keep their shape while cooking.

Make the preserved lemon yoghurt. Roughly chop the preserved lemons and mince or finely chop the garlic clove. Add to the Greek yoghurt and mix well, taste and season with salt and pepper as required.

Keep the tomatoes whole but deseed the peppers and chop into large chunks.

If you’re making our 20-minute flatbreads, make the dough at this stage before you start cooking.

Make sure your BBQ's hot and ready for direct cooking, but maintain a cool zone so you can move food off the direct heat as needed, or manage any flare ups.

When you move your koftas over to the indirect side of the BBQ, use the freed up space to add your peppers directly over the hottest part – again you want an aggressive cook and plenty of char! Turn after the skin’s blistered and char the other side.

Beef mince is safe to eat at 71ºC but the koftas will be dry if you keep them on the BBQ until this point, so take them off around 65ºC and rest them, when they will carry over cook up to 71ºC.

While the beef rests, pull your veggies off the grill and add them into a large bowl. Smash the tomatoes up with a fork and add the harissa paste, lemon juice and salt & pepper, and mix until the peppers are coated in a mess of rich, spiced tomatoes. Pop a lid or plate over the bowl to keep the veggies warm.

If you’re making flatbreads, you can cook them over direct heat now - wrap them in a clean tea towel as they come off the grill, and they’ll steam and soften.

Time to plate up! This is a perfect meal for self-service, so dish the various components up on to warmed platters, plates and bowls, and allow your guests to help themselves.

If you aren't sure which charcoal or smoking wood to buy, just send us an email on info@love-logs.com and we'll do our best to help!

We'd love it if you shared it with your fellow BBQ enthusiasts!