Koftas with Lemon Tahini Sauce

Serves 4

Wooden skewers

1 cup plain parsley leaves

1 small yellow onion

3 garlic cloves

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 heaping teaspoon cumin

1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground pepper

1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg

1⁄4 cup toasted pine nuts

1 1⁄2 pounds ground meatloaf meat Neutral oil, for grilling

Serve with Lemon Tahini Sauce (recipe

follows)

For serving: tomatoes, cucumbers and

pita bread

Soak the skewers in water while preparing the meat.

Place all ingredients except the pine nuts and ground meat into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times. Scrape the bowl down and pulse again, until uniformly and finely chopped. Add the pine nuts and pulse 3-4 times, scraping down again if necessary. Combine the parsley mixture with the ground meat in a large bowl and using your hands, mix gently to thoroughly combine.

Press the meat mixture into 12 evenly shaped logs, pressing firmly, and refrigerate for an hour.

Heat a grill to medium hot. Skewer each log and brush lightly with oil, then brush the grill grates with oil as well. Grill the skewers, being careful when turning the koftas. Rotate only when the meat is very browned and lifts from the grate easily. Cook until evenly browned and the inside registers at 160 degrees, about 10 minutes total.

Serve with the bread, tomatoes, cucumbers and a drizzle of lemon tahini sauce.

Lemon Tahini Sauce

Makes about ⁄4 cup

3

1 large garlic clove, quartered Juice of 1 lemon

1⁄2 cup tahini 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt

1⁄2 teaspoon cumin Warm water

Combine the garlic and lemon in a glass bowl. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes, then discard the garlic. Add the tahini, salt, cumin and water, one tablespoon at a time, until smooth and creamy and your desired consistency. Keep whisking, even if it appears lumpy; It will smooth out to a creamy sauce.