Eunice Power: My lamb kofta recipe inspired by Baba’de in West Cork

Eunice Power Weekend Food Marking: XX Jillian Bolger: 13/07/26: Lamb koftas: Picture Chani Anderson

I've just had breakfast with some friends, and we had a big chat about courgettes. My friend Anthony, aka The Fat Tomato (fattomato.ie), is particularly obsessive when it comes to growing fruit and veg. 

As part of that breakfast, I sliced some courgettes on a mandolin, tossed them in a little olive oil, salt and lemon zest, and had them on freshly baked sourdough from Dun Bakery, with lots of butter.

Honestly, it was gorgeous. It’s simple, it’s delicious, and there is nothing like courgettes when they’re fresh and young; they have that divine luxuriousness you’d associate with asparagus.

I have to be really disciplined when I’m writing my recipes to stick exactly with the season, and at the moment courgettes are coming into their own.

There’s a little glut of them, and they’ll be like this for the next couple of weeks, so I’ve included a courgette fritter recipe to make the most of it.

While I’m on the subject of seasonality, it’s worth taking the opportunity to look around and see who your local veg growers are.

A lot of them are struggling this year, as people are eating out so much and not buying fruit and veg from local suppliers.

I’ve found a great way of staying in touch with seasonal food is getting a veg box weekly from a local supplier. I get mine from Mairead at Garraí na Mara, in Ring. It’s something to keep in mind as winter approaches.

It forces you to use seasonal veg and pushes you outside your comfort zone when cooking, so you’re not making the same old things all the time. I’ll try to partner up with you and work with veg in season as we go along.

Lamb Kofte with Tzatziki and Pickled Red Onion

recipe by:Eunice Power

My trip to Baba’de in Baltimore, West Cork, a couple of weeks ago was the gift that keeps on giving, and this lamb kofta recipe was inspired by that visit.

Servings

12

Preparation Time

 1 hours 10 mins

Cooking Time

 16 mins

Total Time

 1 hours 26 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• For the lamb koftas

• 600g minced lamb

• 1 red onion, finely chopped

• Small bunch of coriander, finely chopped

• 1 red chilli, finely chopped

• 1 tbsp yogurt

• 2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted

• 1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted

• Salt and pepper

• For the tzatziki

• 200g Greek yogurt

• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

• Half a cucumber, grated on a box grater

• Bunch of mint and coriander, chopped

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• For the pickled red onion

• 1 red onion, very thinly sliced

• juice of 1 lime

• Pinch of salt

• To serve

• Half a cucumber, shaved on a mandolin

• 4 flatbreads

Method

1. 1. Toast the cumin and coriander seeds together in a dry pan, then crush.

2. 2. Mix the minced lamb, red onion, coriander, chilli, yogurt, crushed spices, salt and pepper together.

3. 3. Chill the mixture in the fridge for an hour, then shape into 12 cylindrical koftas.

4. 4. Cook the koftas.

5. 5. Mix the Greek yogurt, garlic, grated cucumber, mint, coriander, lemon juice, salt and pepper together for the tzatziki.

6. 6. Mix the thinly sliced red onion with lime juice and a pinch of salt so the onion turns a bright pink colour.

7. 7. Warm the flatbreads, spread over the tzatziki, top each with 3 koftas, and finish with a bundle of pickled red onion and some shaved cucumber.

Courgette Fritters with Whipped Goat’s Cheese

A lovely Saturday or Sunday brunch, this is also delicious with Parma ham, tomatoes, or cream cheese instead of the Whipped goat’s cheese and pepper.

Servings

8

Cooking Time

 1 mins

Total Time

 1 mins

Course

 Main

Ingredients

• 2 smallish to medium courgettes, coarsely grated on a box grater

• Small bunch of mint, leaves shredded

• 2 large eggs

• 50g ground almonds

• 30g Parmesan, grated

• 1 tsp Nigella seeds

• Salt and pepper

• Oil, for cooking

• For the whipped goat’s cheese

• 200g soft goat’s cheese, I used St Tola

• 1 roast pepper (from a jar)

Method

1. 1. Put the grated courgette into a colander with a little salt and leave for 10 to 15 minutes, then pat dry.

2. 2. Mix the courgette with the mint, eggs, ground almonds, Parmesan, Nigella seeds, salt and pepper.

3. 3. Heat some oil in a frying pan and fry a large tablespoon of the mixture at a time, to make 8 fritters.

4. 4. Blitz the goat’s cheese with the roast pepper until smooth.

5. 5. Serve the fritters with the whipped goat’s cheese.