Every Monday and Wednesday, we'll announce a new Wildcard winner: a recipe that may not have been entered in (or won) a contest, but a recipe that we've tested and loved.
Today: Summer's hottest couple, tucked into a pita.
WHO: Food Blogga is a cookbook author and freelance food writer who lives in San Diego.
WHAT: Nutty, vibrant lamb meatballs and creamy-cool tzatziki -- eaten side by side or tucked into a pocket.
HOW: Mix ground lamb with onion, garlic, spices, and pine nuts, shape into balls, and grill. Load into pitas. Dollop with tzatziki.
WHY WE LOVE IT: These kofta -- which are bound with ground, toasted pine nuts -- have spice, heat, and texture. The tzatziki tames all that fiestiness. And when eaten smooshed into a pocket, with lettuce, carrots, and onions, you've got yourself an ideal lunch.
Kofta Pocket with Tzatziki Sauce by Food Blogga
Serves 4
Tzatziki Sauce
1 cup plain Greek style yogurt, or regular yogurt, strained until thick
1/2 cup diced peeled and seeded cucumber
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons minced fresh mint
Kofta
1 pound ground lamb
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup minced yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts, ground into a meal in a food processor
4 pitas, sliced in half and warmed (for a total of 8)
Optional garnishes include thinly sliced red onions, shredded carrots, and baby lettuce leaves
See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.
Photo by James Ransom
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