TURKEY & SQUASH KEFTA
I cook a lot of different foods from all over the world. International cuisine has all these rich and robust flavours that make your mouth water. Why make a simple turkey meatball when you can make a kefta meatball? Filled with the yumminess of the Middle East, I make these for my family for a regular Friday night dinner or for a holiday. It is accompanied by a fresh dairy-free coriander and mint sauce as well as an my Israeli salad with a twist (find the recipe here!)
Some dishes transport you to a place and time when you first tried the dish. For me, this dish conjures up the feeling of family and tradition. A coming together, if you will. I hope you love the dish!
INGREDIENTS
TURKEY & SQUASH KEFTA
600g ground turkey
1 egg
200g of frozen organic butternut squash, cubed (I use the bag from Earthbound Farm)*
½ cup onion, chopped finely
½ cup fresh parsley, chopped
½ tsp. salt & pepper
¼ cup breadcrumbs, (or gluten free bread crumbs or almond flour)
DAIRY-FREE MINT & CORIANDER SAUCE
3/4 cup Belsoy soy cream or plain coconut yogurt
3 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
3 tbsp fresh coriander (or basil), chopped
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp salt
½ tsp of Espelette Pepper P.D.O
pepper to taste
*Optional: Add ½ clove of garlic, chopped. My husband prefers the sauce with some extra garlic to round out the flavour
*I use frozen squash because of the texture it gives when defrosted. It mixes very well with the ground meat and makes it easier to combine. All about the smooth texture!
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Allow squash to defrost before starting your mixture. You can place it into a colander to let the water soak out as it thaws
2. In a large bowl, add the egg, parsley, onion, salt, pepper, breadcrumbs into the ground turkey and mix well
3. Form small patties in oval-shaped balls
4. Add your keftas to your pan on medium-high heat and cook the keftas for about 6 minutes per side or until the meat is cooked through
5. For the Creamy Sauce, in a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce – use for dipping or drizzle all over.
Serves 4-6 people
BON APPETIT!
Photography by Patricia Brochu