Eat Our Blog

I don’t know about you, but it strikes me as odd that the first time I blog about Kafta, I do a Moroccan version and not a Lebanese version. I’ve just been intrigued about how this would taste ever since I saw a version of it prepared on TV. I recently learned that a “tagine” does not just refer to the clay cooking pot with the cone-shaped lid. It also refers to any type of dish that is classically prepared in it as well.

The only similarity between the Moroccan and Lebanese versions is that ground meat, onion, salt, and pepper are involved. Traditional Lebanese Kafta is made with ground meat, parsley, onion, allspice, salt, and pepper. The allspice and parsley give it a completely different flavor profile from the paprika in this version. And that’s just the meatballs, once you add in the egg it takes it to another level.

As always, I used ground turkey instead of ground beef because it lightens things up…and frankly I prefer the flavor. What’s really cool is that when you add the egg in at the end and mix it in, the yolk gives the sauce a rich creaminess that you wouldn’t even get from adding milk/cream. I chose to serve this with couscous but it would also be really good with pita bread or rice instead.

Oh, and last note, I do not own a tagine so I just prepared this in a pan. You can use a dutch oven, skillet, whatever…as long as it is at least 2 inches deep.

Kafta Meatball “Tagine”

Meatballs
1 lb ground dark turkey or beef
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion finely diced
1/2 tsp sweet paprika (I used Hungarian)
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Tomato Sauce
1 large garlic clove, chopped
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 tbsp chopped parsley
3 tsp sweet paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
28oz can pureed tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
4 large eggs

Directions

For the meatballs: Combine the ground turkey, olive oil, onions, paprika, salt and pepper together. Roll into 1-inch balls and set aside until needed.

For the sauce: Saute the garlic and onions with the extra-virgin olive oil on low heat in a Dutch oven or deep pan/skillet. Cook until slightly translucent, and then add the parsley, paprika, cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for another minute or two. Add the canned tomatoes, turn up the heat to medium, and cook for about 5 minutes until almost boiling. Place the meatballs on top of the sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Stir the meatballs into the sauce and cook for 30 minutes on low heat. Break the eggs on top of the meat and sauce. Gently stir to break the eggs up into the meat and sauce. Cook for another 5-10 minutes until eggs are cooked, stirring occasionally. Serve with couscous, rice, or pita bread.

I had this salad for the first time in Lebanon last year. We had gone to visit family and generally the first week or so we stay away from any raw fruits and vegetables. We were invited to my aunt’s house for a delicious lunch one day. I don’t know if it I loved this so much because this was the first raw veg I had in a week or because the combination of flavors was so delicious. I’d like to think it was both because when I made this salad again back home, it was just as delicious as I remembered. The tartness of the dressing, the bite from the raw onion, the creaminess of the eggplant, the spiciness of the arugula, and the saltiness from the olives. I think the only thing missing here was a sweet flavor!

This recipe originated from a Lebanese cookbook author, Marlene Matar (which I didn’t even realize until after I had made the salad from memory recently).

I chose to pan fry the eggplant with a little bit of oil but you could just as easily throw the slices on a grill/grill pan or bake them in the oven. Some other great additions to the salad would be some fresh mint and oregano. I didn’t have any at the time but that would add even more flavor to it. Just go sparingly on the fresh oregano as it is strong.

The pomegranate syrup is something I brought back from Lebanon, made fresh by a local grocer’s family. But I’m sure you can find this online or at a local middle eastern market. If you don’t have the pomegranate syrup, I would suggest using a really good, aged balsamic vinegar in place of the pomegranate syrup. I bet that would be delicious as it would add a slight sweetness to the dressing.

Ingredients

3 small eggplant (or 2 medium)
5-6 cups of arugula
2-3 tablespoons fresh parsley (roughly chopped)
1/4 red onion sliced very thin
10 black/calamata olives, pits removed
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tsp pomegranate syrup (dibs el rimman)
1 tsp hot water
salt/pepper to taste

Directions

Heat a nonstick pan on medium-high heat. Slice the eggplant lengthwise into about 1/4 inch slices. Brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place a 4-5 slices at a time into the pan (or on grill pan) and cook for about 3 minutes per side until light golden brown. Remove from pan and place onto a plate and sprinkle with a little salt. Repeat the above steps until all eggplant is cooked. The eggplant is served at room temperature so don’t worry about keeping them hot.

Mix pomegranate syrup, hot water, a pinch of salt & pepper, and olive oil in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.

Place arugula and parsley in a mixing bowl and toss with dressing. Arrange eggplant around the outside of a serving dish or bowl. Place salad in the middle and top with onion and olives.

Well, it’s about time I tell you a little about our trip to Paris in April. I’ve always loved Paris…once I even had an 8 hour layover at Charles de Gaulle airport and took a bus into the city to get a quick fix before boarding a plane back home. How cool that you can just run into the city for a few hours on your way from one city to another?

This is a city where you could spend hours walking around just looking at the architecture and smelling the fresh baked breads and pastries wafting throughout the streets. While I had been to Paris before, I had never been with Mark. How amazing would it be to experience the city of love with someone I love?

We always get our food research in before our trips. We look on the web, check out where Anthony Bourdain went, NY Times reviews, etc. Funny enough, the best meal we had there wasn’t planned at all.

Les Papilles was a restaurant that Mark had seen on online when we got there. It had great reviews and after our lunch of Croque Monsieurs and salad, we decided to walk by and take a look. The owner was very welcoming and was was able to squeeze us in for an 8pm seating for dinner that night.

We had no idea what kind of treat we had in store! They do prix fixe 4 course menus that change daily. I don’t think we could have picked a better day to go.

Inside, the tables are close together but it was such a convivial atmosphere that it didn’t matter. Plus, you become so enthralled in what you are eating that you barely hear what’s going on at the next table. You kind of feel swept away in the experience. We would see people come in constantly asking if there was a table available only to be turned away because all seatings were reserved that night. Must be a good sign right?

They started off with a tureen of cauliflower soup with a ladle. Each of our bowls had shredded raw cauliflower, creme fraiche, bacon, chives, fried parsley, and croutons. The various textures and flavors were so comforting and delicious and warmed us to the bone. It was incredible. They gave us a generous amount of soup but we had to stop ourselves from finishing it so that we had room for the rest.

The main course was what rocked my world and what I dream about since then. Seared and roasted duck breast with potatoes, carrots, snap peas, tomatoes, garlic, onion, and a decadent sauce. I’m sure butter played a big part in it but they managed to somehow keep it from being too heavy. This dish transcended anything that I can ever remember having. There was a familiarity to it but it was elevated by such a depth of flavor. The duck was cooked perfectly. I mean, look at the picture. Doesn’t it LOOK amazing? If anyone can tell me how to make this dish please do! I haven’t tried to recreate it because I’m not sure that I can.

After the duck, we had a cheese course of bleu cheese and jam followed by an apple panna cotta with caramel foam for dessert. That dessert was heavenly.

Ahhh, Europe always ruins restaurants for me back home. Barcelona was where it all started. The food, the people, the experience…nothing like it. And I’m sorry Paris, but Barcelona still ranks as my top spot. But Paris comes in at a very close second.