Herbed Köfte (Meatballs) With Tahini Sauce

Type: Lamb, Meat
Serves: 42 people

Recipe Ingredients

		Tahini Sauce
1/2 cup		Tahini paste - well stirred
1/2 cup		Chicken broth
1/4 cup		Fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon		Ground cumin
1 teaspoon		Mild paprika
		Meatballs
2 x		White sandwich bread - crusts removed
1/2 lb		Ground beef
1/2 lb		Ground lamb
1 lb		Onion - grated (medium)
1 teaspoon		Salt - (heaping)
1 1/2 teaspoons		Ground cumin
1		Ground allspice
1 teaspoon		Crushed red pepper
3/4 teaspoon		Freshly-ground black pepper
3/4 cup		Minced parsley
1/2 cup		Finely-chopped mint
1 cup		Toasted walnut pieces
2 tablespoons		Mild olive oil
1/2		Red onion - very thinly sliced
		Minced parsley or sumac* - for garnish
		Tahini Sauce, (listed above)

Recipe Instructions

* Sumac is available at Middle Eastern markets.

For the Tahini Sauce: Combine tahini, chicken broth, lemon juice, cumin and paprika, stirring well.

For the Meatballs: Dip the bread in cold water and squeeze dry against the bottom of a fine sieve. In a large bowl, mix bread with beef, lamb, onion, salt, cumin, allspice, red pepper and black pepper. Mix thoroughly, but avoid overhandling. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Mix in parsley, mint and walnuts with your hands and shape mixture into balls.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add half the meatballs and saute until browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes. Regulate heat so meatballs don't burn, and shake pan vigorously to turn them.

Transfer to paper towels. Wipe skillet and repeat with remaining oil and meatballs. Top with onions. Garnish and serve hot or warm, with tahini sauce.

This recipe yields 42 meatballs.

Each meatball: 69 calories; 3 grams protein; 2 grams carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 6 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 7 mg. cholesterol; 78 mg. sodium.

Source:
The Los Angeles Times, 06-09-2004

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