Turkey Kofta Kebabs

Feeling like you might want to switch dinner menus up a little?  Turkey Kofta Kebabs might be the remedy.

Lately I have been thinking a lot about summer…our plans for travel and adventure, for sure…but mostly I’m thinking about the things I’d like to EAT & DRINK. It’s the tough life of a recipe developer. For us summer brings lots of grilling out-of-doors, family picnics, and concerts in the park, all of which are all about the food. I mean, seriously, how many of us go to a family reunion for the family?

C’mon…I’m just kidding. Sort of.

Soggy, store bought potato salad and mayo-laced ANYTHING is right out, in my humble opinion. But grilled meats, chopped veggie salads and gluten-free flatbreads are not only totally transportable, they are freaking delicious.

Anyway, if you can’t wait until summer to make this, I don’t blame you…we had it last week. If it’s too cold to grill, broil the kebabs in the oven (or cook on the stove on a grill pan). And look for the ripest cherry tomatoes you can find (good luck with that). Don’t be intimidated by the length of the recipe. It has many parts, but the whole thing will come together in less than an hour, or broken up into smaller parts throughout the day (or even a day or two before).

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TURKEY KOFTA KEBABS

Summer brings lots of grilling out-of-doors, family picnics, and concerts in the park, all of which are all about the food.  If you're looking for something different, try Turkey Kofta Kebabs. 

Course Main Course

Author Alison Needham

Ingredients

• For the Cioppino:
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 clove garlic chopped
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 pound Little Neck clams
• 1/2 pound mussels scrubbed
• 2 quarts Cioppino Sauce recipe follows
• 2 dashes Gluten Free Worcestershire Sauce
• Pinch saffron
• 2 to 2 1/2 pound Dungeness crab
• cooked cleaned and cracked,
• or 1 pound cooked crab meat
• preferably Dungeness
• 1/2 pound medium shrimp shell on
• 1/2 pound squid tubes cut in rings
• 1/2 pound firm-fleshed white fish
• fillets cut in 2-inch cubes
• 1/4 pound bay scallops
• Cioppino Sauce:
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 medium onions halved and thinly sliced
• 6 cloves garlic chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped sweet basil
• 1 28 ounce can peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
• 1 28 ounce can tomato puree
• 28 ounces water
• 1 tablespoon clam base without MSG optional
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon celery salt
• Dash Gluten Free Worcestershire sauce
• Black pepper to taste
• Crushed red pepper to taste
• Dash cinnamon
• Kosher salt to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare the kofta. Place the turkey in a large mixing bowl. add the chili powder, cumin, paprika, salt, lemon zest and mint. Use your hands to gently and evenly mix in the spices. Divide the mixture into 4 balls, then evenly press the meat around 4 metal skewers, creating long sausages. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to one day in advance…the earlier you do it the more flavorful the meat will be.
2. Make the salad. Chop the cucumbers into a 1/2-inch dice and place in a bowl. Halve the cherry tomatoes and add to the cucumber. Toss in the sliced red onion and Feta cheese. Drizzle the top of the salad with the lemon juice and olive oil and toss well to evenly coat. Sprinkle the top of the salad with the fresh mint, and salt and pepper to taste, and set aside at room temperature for up to one hour.
3. Make the yogurt sauce. Whisk the yogurt, grated cucumber, lemon juice, mint, salt and cumin together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Cook the meat. Grill it directly over hot coals or gas grill for 8 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Alternately, place the oven rack 4 inches below the broiler and broil for 8 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Remove the meat from the skewers and break up into chunks.
5. To serve, pile the meat, salad, and yogurt sauce over warm flatbread.

Article Courtesy:  Alison Needham