MINI BEEF KOFTAS FOR PICNICS & BUFFETS

67's spicy Greek style koftas in miniature, make perfect canapés 

Beef Mini-Koftas
'Everyone loved these! And they looked really good.' Tasters

A platter of spicy little barrels of beef was included in 67's first formal catering event, a lunch for activists at the local elections. They went down a storm.  

The mini-kofta are full of intense flavours - spicy, herby and meaty - and, accompanied with an exotic tahini sauce, brought exclamations of delight.  

It's a perfect dish to make ahead; the flavour deepens as it sits.  Most of it can be prepared up to two days before: the meat can be mixed and moulded and the sauce made; both can be refrigerated in a couple of layers of cling film until needed.  The vegetable crudités, which add colour as well as crispness, can be prepared the night before.

The mini koftas in the photo are made with low-fat beef mince.  Lamb is traditional used but lower-fat minced turkey thigh also works well.   

Cost: £3.50+ for beef; total £5'ish (5/23); turkey is more expensive
Makes: 24+ mini-koftas 

Ingred:
   500 gm minced beef
   1 med onion or half a Spanish onion, grated or processed into small shards
    1.5 tsp paprika
    1.5 tsp cumin
    1 tsp cinnamon
    1 tsp dried coriander
    zest of one lemon
    2-3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped medium fine, or 1 tsp dried
    2-3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped medium fine, or 1 tsp dried
    1 egg (opt)
    pepper & salt

Method

1. Spread out mince on a sheet of greaseproof paper
2. Cover with onion and dried herbs only; mix well with two forks or with hands, ensuring the herbs are blended into the meat.  Work lightly; the koftas should be moist and yielding, not hard as rocks
3. Add lemon zest & fresh herbs; stir well, distributing everything evenly; mix in egg if using.  
4. Break off a tablespoon; fry to check for seasoning; add pepper & salt as needed 
5. Use a small 1 1/2 inch/4 cm ice cream scoop to divide the mix into equal pottions.  Form each into a barrel shape; place on a baking tray lined with greaseproof paper, leaving a little space in between. 
6. Cover loosely in 2 layers of clingfilm,  ensuring the pan is air tight;  refrigerate overnight
7. When ready to cook, allow mini-koftas to come to room temperature.
8. Preheat oven to 180c/350f
9. Bake 15 mins, or until centres are no longer pink 
10. Remove to a cooling rack lined with paper towels; once no longer hot, scrape or rub off any juices that have seeped from the mini-kofta
11. Spear kofta with cocktail sticks
12. Arrange on a platter around tahini dressing and Chinese crudités   

Tahini Dressing:

   200gm/7oz thick o-fat yoghurt

   4 generous tbsp mayonnaise
   2 tsp lemon juice or white wine vinegar
   1 med clove garlic, finely grated
   2 tbsp chopped fresh mint or 2 tsp dried  
   pepper & salt
   2 tbsp good tahini
   1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (opt)
   
Mix well

Comments from political activists & council candidates:
    'Loved these!'
    'Beautifully spiced though I could have used more heat.'
    'Looks so pretty.' 
    'These are really, really good.'

   
Tip:

• make these in larger sizes for a portable lunch
• finely diced fresh chillis or chilli flakes can be served in a separate dish 

                          

 More hot weather dishes on Nav Bar: Recipes I   

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.