Eastern flavours

Barbecues and Father’s Day go hand in hand! This year, try something new with our kefta recipe: delicious Middle Eastern meat kebabs, typically made with ground beef or lamb, spices (allspice, cumin) and fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley). They’re usually served on pita-style bread with a yogourt, herb or tomato-based sauce. To cook them, use a public BBQ (some parks have them) or you can take your portable grill on the road. You can also grill your keftas at home beforehand. Hot or cold, they’re delicious. Serve them with naan bread, tzatziki sauce and a refreshing tomato salad.

Middle Eastern trends

Flavours of the Middle East are showing up in more and more of our recipes, and that’s a good thing! There are loads of different spices that you can use to flavour your dishes and fun new ways to incorporate legumes into your cooking. For a themed picnic, serve your beef keftas with tabbouleh and a selection of meze (appetizer-size dishes) such as eggplant caviar, meat or vegetarian kibbeh, fatayer (cheese-and-spinach tarts) and muhammara (a nut-and-red-pepper dip).

Beef keftasBeef keftas

Beef keftas

Preparation 10 minutes

Resting time 1 hour

Cooking 10 minutes

What to drink with these keftas?

Montepulciano: the king of grapes in Italy’s Abruzzo region. It’s also always a wise choice when it comes to pairing a wine with grilled meat. The versatile and flavourful reds we’ve listed really highlight the spices in our beef kefta recipe. You could also opt for a robust red from Australia. Grenache and Shiraz blends pair nicely with grilled meat as well.
If you’re a beer drinker, go for an IPA-style brew that has floral aromas, crisp hop flavours and pronounced bitterness.

Spice it up

Are you a fan of Lebanese, Syrian or Israeli cuisine? Here are some star ingredients to stock up on. When it comes to spices, make sure to have on hand the following: Aleppo pepper, allspice (Jamaican pepper), mint, sumac and zaatar. As far as condiments go, pomegranate molasses is essential! At once acidic and fruity, pomegranate molasses is a delicious alternative to balsamic vinegar in salads, and caramelizes grilled meat to perfection. Most of these spices are available in big box grocery stores or specialty food shops.