Lamb Kofte with Nykeeta’s lime-pickled red onions

I give you the perfect kofte. I was given the recipe by a friend who lives in Tunis and it’s a cracker. The minced lamb must be left well alone after the pine nuts and other flavourings are added to allow the spices to infuse and develop. Cook over a barbecue on skewers or under a kitchen grill. Serve with warmed pitta breads, Greek yoghurt and the dazzling pickled red onions perfected by my wife, Nykeeta. A tomato salad is a good accompaniment, too. 

Makes 8

INGREDIENTS 

• 2 small onions, grated

• a small bunch of mint leaves, chopped

  Mediterra: Recipes from the Islands and Shores of the Mediterranean Ben Tish

• a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

• 750g minced lamb

• 50g dried breadcrumbs

• 50g pine nuts, toasted and chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated

• 1½ teaspoons ground allspice

• 1½ teaspoons ground fenugreek

• 1½ teaspoons ground nutmeg

• 1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon sea salt

• olive oil

• 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses for glazing

• pitta breads, warmed, to serve

• Greek yoghurt, to serve 

For Nykeeta’s lime-pickled onions

• 2 small red onions, halved and thinly sliced

• 2 teaspoons caster sugar

• pinch of salt

• juice and grated zest of 2 unwaxed limes

DIRECTIONS

To make the kofte mixture, use your hands to squeeze any moisture from the grated onions, then mix them with the mint and parsley in a large bowl. Add the lamb, breadcrumbs, pine nuts, garlic and ground allspice, fenugreek, nutmeg, pepper and the salt, and mix together until fully combined. Shape into 8 kofte ‘fingers’, then cover with cling film and chill for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours. 

For the pickled onions, place the onion slices into a non-metallic bowl, sprinkle over the sugar and a pinch of salt, and toss together. Add the lime juice and zest, then set aside for at least an hour before using – the onion slices will turn a day-glo pink. 

Light a barbecue about 30 minutes before you want to cook so the coals turn ashen grey and are at the optimum grilling temperature. Position the grill above the coals so it gets very hot. Alternatively, heat a large ridged, cast-iron griddle pan to maximum. 

Rub the koftes with olive oil. Place them on the grill and grill for 8–9 minutes until golden brown all round and until just pink in the centre – if you want them well done, keep grilling for a further 2–4 minutes. 

Transfer the koftes to a platter and brush them with the molasses. Serve immediately with the pickled onions, pitta breads and Greek yoghurt.

Excerpted from Mediterra: Recipes from the islands and shores of the Mediterranean. Used with the permission of the publisher, Bloomsbury. Text copyright © 2024 by Ben Tish, Photography copyright © 2024 by Kris Kirkham

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