Lamb kofta – BBQ flavours and a chermoula side

Lamb kofta is tasty in its own right, but we can't deny that this recipe, which calls for chermoula spice and the most delicious accompaniments, will be the ultimate BBQ addition. But who's to say that you have to save it for the barbie? Improv happens, so if it starts raining, simply make this in your oven at home. 

Moving on, let us tell you precisely why this lamb kofta recipe is a winner. You've got the tender, flavoursome lamb, you've got zesty and succulent chicken, and to top it all off, there's golden orzo combined with zhoug or zhug (a spicy coriander sauce) and beautifully roasted vegetables to accompany you on this epic culinary journey. 

Mouth watering? We thought so. Keep scrolling for the recipe (which serves two) and make sure you visit our food hub when you're done for more delicious eats.

A big shout out to HelloFresh for providing us with this very awesome recipe.

Chermoula: what is it?

Chermoula is a marinade that is typically used in Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian cooking. It's a vibrant combination of cumin, chilli, cinnamon, black pepper and cloves, while in some Moroccan versions may see dried parsley, cumin and paprika making an appearance. This recipe has called for a dried version, but if you were to make this fresh, the spices would be combined with a dried dark raisin purée and onions sweated in olive oil. 

Lamb kofta recipe

Ingredients: 

• 4 skewers
• 1 pot of (2-4 tspns) chermoula spice
• 1/2 a lemon
• 4 chicken thighs
• 2 red peppers
• 50g zhoug paste
• 1 block feta cheese
• 25g panko breadcrumbs
• 200g lamb mince
• 1-2 tsps dreid oregano
• 1 aubergine
• 180g orzo
• 1.5 tbps olive oil + more for dressing
• 2 tbsps water

Method: 

1. Soak the skewers in water and preheat the oven to 200°C.

2. Mix the breadcrumbs, chermoula spice and water in a bowl before adding the lamb mince and seasoning.

3. Mix with your hands and shape into four small sausage shapes (one each), then flatten them to create the kofta and thread onto a skewer each before popping in the fridge to rest.

4. Zest the lemon, adding this and half the lemon's juice to a large bowl with the olive oil, dried oregano and seasoning. Mix together, then add the chicken thighs to coat them.

5. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil for the orzo. 

6. Trim and half the aubergine (lengthways) to chop into 2cm pieces, and half the peppers, discarding the core and seeds, slicing into them into strips. 

7. Add both the pepper and aubergine to a baking tray with olive oil and season, then put it on the top shelf for 25 to 35 mins, or until cooked through and nicely charred.

8. While this cooks, add the orzo to the pan of boiling water and boil for 10 to 12 mins until tender. Drain it off and rinse in cold water, then drain again. 

9. Mix the zhoug in with the orzo to combine it and set aside.

10. Add the remaining lemon juice to a bowl with olive oil, seasoning and crumble the feta.

11. If you're oven-cooking the meat rather than barbecuing it, add the koftas to a lightly oiled roasting tray and put on the top shelf for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned and cooked through.

12. And if you're not barbecuing the chicken, heat up a frying pan with no oil and lay the thighs down flat until cooked through and golden. This takes six to seven minutes on each side.

13. Finally, add the roasted veggies to the salad dressing along with the feta, serve up and enjoy!

Still hungry?

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