Fire-Roasted Lamb Kofta with Charred Vine Tomatoes and Velvet Garlic Tahini
There is something utterly primal and deeply joyous about cooking over an open flame. When I was growing up in Tel Aviv, the weekend air was always thick with the scent of grilling meat and spices, a tradition I carried with me through my years in London kitchens. This fire-roasted lamb kofta is a direct love letter to those sun-drenched Mediterranean afternoons. My secret? Packing the minced lamb with a mountain of fresh mint, parsley, and warm cumin, then charring them until they are wonderfully smoky on the outside yet impossibly juicy within. I love resting them on a generous swoosh of velvet garlic tahini—because honestly, tahini belongs on everything—and crowning the whole plate with sweet vine tomatoes and a sizzling skillet pour of buttery pine nuts, tart barberries, and ruby pomegranate jewels. It is all about the contrast of textures: the crisp, nutty crunch against the creamy sauce and tender meat. If you cannot get lamb, ground beef or even a spiced plant-based alternative works beautifully. Do not skimp on the herbs, and please, make extra.
Featured Recipe
Fire-Roasted Lamb Kofta with Charred Vine Tomatoes, Sizzling Pine Nut-Barberry Crisp & Velvet Garlic Tahini
Juicy, herb-packed lamb kofta skewers fire-roasted to blistered perfection over an open flame, served alongside sweet charred vine tomatoes on a swoosh of creamy garlic tahini. Topped with a sizzling, fragrant skillet pour of pine nuts, tart barberries, and fresh pomegranate jewels, this is mezze dining at its most generous and vibrant.
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Timeline
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground lamb (preferably 20% fat)(cold from the fridge for easier shaping)
- 1 medium yellow onion(finely grated and squeezed firmly dry in a clean towel)
- 4 cloves garlic(finely grated or minced, divided)
- 0.75 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley(finely chopped, divided)
- 0.5 cup fresh mint leaves(finely chopped, divided)
- 1.5 tsp ground cumin(divided)
- 1 tsp ground coriander(divided)
- 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1.5 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes(or substitute 1 tsp red pepper flakes)
- 1.5 tsp fine sea salt(divided)
- 0.5 tsp black pepper(freshly cracked)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil(divided)
- 10 oz cherry vine tomatoes(kept on the vine in clusters)
- 0.5 cup pure sesame tahini(stirred well until smooth)
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice(freshly squeezed)
- 0.33 cup ice water(as needed to reach velvet consistency)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter(can substitute olive oil for dairy-free)
- 3 tbsp pine nuts
- 2 tbsp dried barberries(or chopped dried sour cherries)
- 1.5 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 0.25 cup pomegranate arils(for fresh jewel garnish)
- 2 tbsp fresh dill(fronds picked for garnish)
- 2 tbsp olive oil(for lightly oiling hands)
- 2 cloves garlic(for the tahini sauce)
- 0.5 tsp fine sea salt(for the tahini sauce)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil(for tossing tomatoes)
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil(for skillet)
- 0.5 tsp ground coriander(for skillet)
- 0.5 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes(for skillet)
- 0.25 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley(for garnish)
- 0.25 cup fresh mint leaves(for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
In a large chilled mixing bowl, combine 1 lb ground lamb, 1 medium yellow onion (squeezed bone dry), 2 cloves garlic, 0.5 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, 0.25 cup fresh mint leaves, 1 tsp ground cumin, 0.5 tsp ground coriander, 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes, 1 tsp fine sea salt, and 0.5 tsp black pepper. Knead vigorously with your hands for 2 full minutes until the meat turns tacky and proteins emulsify; this ensures the kofta grips the skewers and retains every bit of moisture over the fire.
5 min
Tip: Squeezing every drop of moisture from your grated onion is the secret to kofta that stays firmly on the skewer rather than sliding off into the fire.
- 2
Divide the lamb mixture into 8 equal portions. With lightly oiled hands, mold each portion around flat metal skewers (or soaked wooden skewers) into long, oblong cylinder shapes about 1 inch thick. Brush the outside of each skewer with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, place on a parchment-lined tray, and chill in the refrigerator to firm up while preparing the sauce.
8 min
Tip: Chilling the shaped kofta for even 10 minutes helps the fat set, giving you crisp charred crusting before the interior overcooks.
- 3
Prepare the velvet garlic tahini: In a medium bowl, whisk together 0.5 cup pure sesame tahini, 2 cloves garlic, 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice, 0.5 tsp ground cumin, and 0.5 tsp fine sea salt. The mixture will seize up and look stiff. Slowly drizzle in 0.33 cup ice water while whisking vigorously until the sauce magically relaxes into an ultra-pale, glossy, spoonable cream.
5 min
Tip: Don't panic when the tahini curdles at first with the lemon juice—ice water transforms it into luscious velvet every single time.
- 4
Toss 10 oz cherry vine tomatoes with 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil and a pinch of salt. Fire up a charcoal grill to high direct heat, or heat a cast-iron ridged grill pan over high flame until smoking hot.
4 min
Tip: Keeping tomatoes on their vines prevents them from rolling through grates and makes a dramatic rustic presentation.
- 5
Lay the chilled lamb kofta skewers and the clusters of 10 oz cherry vine tomatoes directly over the roaring flame. Fire-roast the kofta for 7 to 8 minutes, turning every 2 minutes, until charred, deeply caramelized on all edges, and cooked through (internal temperature 155°F). Blister the tomatoes for 4 to 5 minutes until skins split and bubble with black flecks, then remove both to rest.
8 min
Tip: Let the skewers sit undisturbed for the first 2 minutes so they sear completely and naturally release from the hot grate.
- 6
While the kofta rests for 3 minutes, place a small skillet over medium heat. Melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter and 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil. Add 3 tbsp pine nuts and 0.5 tsp ground coriander, swirling constantly for 2 minutes until nuts turn golden blonde. Stir in 2 tbsp dried barberries and 0.5 tsp Aleppo pepper flakes for 30 seconds until the berries swell and butter is aromatic and sizzling.
3 min
Tip: Barberries burn quickly—pull the skillet from heat as soon as they plump up in the warm foaming butter.
- 7
To assemble, spread the velvet tahini across the base of a wide, shallow mezze serving platter using the back of a large spoon. Arrange the charred 10 oz cherry vine tomatoes and fire-roasted lamb kofta skewers over the sauce. Drizzle immediately with the bubbling skillet of pine nuts, barberries, and spiced butter. Finish with 1.5 tbsp pomegranate molasses, 0.25 cup pomegranate arils, the remaining 0.25 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, 0.25 cup fresh mint leaves, and 2 tbsp fresh dill.
4 min
Tip: Serve immediately while the sizzling butter is hot against the cool, silky tahini base for maximum textural drama.
Chef's Notes
This mezze platter encapsulates everything I love about eating with family and friends: sizzling heat meets chilled, velvety sauces, cut through with the sharp pop of barberries and juicy pomegranate. If barberries are tricky to find, dried sour cherries or chopped tart dried apricots work beautifully. Serve with warm flatbreads to drag through the pooling juices and tahini.
Yael Mizrahi
Bold flavors, beautiful plates
Born in Tel Aviv to a Moroccan mother and Iraqi father, I grew up speaking the language of spice. My kitchen was always full of cumin, preserved lemons, and the sound of multiple conversations happening at once. I moved to London at 22, cooked my way through the city's best restaurants, and discovered that the whole Mediterranean was my playground. Now I create dishes that celebrate the entire region—from Marrakech to Athens, with plenty of stops in between.