Lebanon
Prep: 20 min; Cook: 60 min - Easy
Serves 6

This mixture is great on skewers over charcoal, as patties, or as the Lebanese dish Kofta bi sanniyeh, baked in the oven with potatoes and tomatoes.

• 2 1/2 lbs finely ground lamb or beef
• 2 cups tighly packed washed and picked parsley
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves or 1 TBS dry mint leaves
• 1 large onion, cut up for food processor
• 1 tsp Bhar Helou* or 1/4 each ground cinammon, cloves, nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt, more to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, or to taste

Food processor, mixing bowl, baking pan if doing in oven, or wood or metal skewers.

IN a food processor, chop onion extremely fine. Add parsely and mint and until you have a fine - not liquified - homogeneous mixture.

PUT the meat in a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients and spices to meat, combine and mix thoroughly with your hands.

PLACE bowl in fridge covered with plastic wrap. Helps flavors of the mixture blend.

FOR SKEWERS:

SOAK wooden skewers (usually found at your local supermarket) in water for a couple of hours or more.

SHAPE egg-sized balls of kofta and work evenly onto skewers.

IN THE OVEN:

FOR kafta bi sanniyeh add 1/2 cup bread crumbs, one or two tablespoons of water and an egg (optional)

MIX well.

PLACE in lightly greased pan. Lightly pat down to 1 inch thickness and surround with partially boiled potatoes sliced about 1/4 inch thick.

BAKE at 450 deg F. for 30 minutes then reduce to 350 F for additional 30 minutes or until kafta is golden and potatoes soft.