My wife and I absolutely love lamb. It has a mild flavor, slightly gamier than beef. But the key to this recipe is the spices you add. We have a nice collection of whole spices and there are some spices that taste completely different when you buy them whole and grind them yourself. If you haven't tried them before, I recommend buying whole Nutmeg, Coriander and All Spice. Try them toasted and freshly ground vs the pre ground ones and you can taste the difference yourself.
Ingredients
2 lbs ground lamb
1/2 cup minced fresh mint
1/4 cup coarsely grated onion
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
5 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp whole coriander
1 tbsp whole all spice
1 1/2 tsp coarse kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Directions
Toast any fresh spices and grind them. Gently mix all the ingredients together making sure to not overwork the lamb. Get a sauté pan on med high heat and add oil. Form a 1" ball and flatten into a paddy. Cook your test paddy approx. 3 min each side, let cool and taste. Adjust the seasonings if needed. This step is optional, but unless we have the exact same taste buds I recommend it.
Next, form an approx. 2" ball then flatten the sides slightly to form and oval or log. This should yield approx. 15 koftas. Lay on baking sheet and place them in the fridge for minimum 30 min so they can set.
Remove from fridge and get a sauté pan on med high heat. Add some oil and saute in batches, approx. 2 - 3 min a side, 8 - 12 min total. Alternative you can bake them on a sheet pan at 375 for 12 - 15 min.
Serve with some hummus and a tzatziki sauce.
