I have been all about Mediterranean food lately. Or maybe that general region, because Middle-Eastern and Indian food are high up on that list lately too. Partly, as I am still trying to lose weight, recipes from the Mediterranean area are generally much more health conscious. But, they’re also bursting with flavor! And while we’re still in the midsts of winter, albeit the tail end, making dishes that taste fresh and vibrant creates an uplifting dining experience.
I am all about a blend of healthful foods and an enjoyable dining experience. It’s just my husband, son, and I right now. Stuck in pandemic life, we don’t have a whole lot to “catch up” on each evening. No, “ugh, the commute was horrible,” or “you wouldn’t believe what happened to Susie at work today,” or “how was school?”… “good” (gotta love how detailed teenagers are, amirite? 😂).
Who else is in this boat? Even if you aren’t spending all day literally together, you’re more or less on top of each other all day? So, by the time dinner rolls around, it doesn’t really feel like there is much to share or catch up on. We instituted game time during dinner for some time now, and it helps to keep engaged with one another and ensuring we aren’t sitting through dinner with the crickets chirping in the background.
We started off the pandemic with 20 questions… well, advanced 20 questions. No longer did we play mineral, fruit/vegetable, and animal. We started with cities, upgraded to landmarks (both manmade and natural), then transitioned to famous events/moments in history and to famous people in history. We ran out of new topics (suggestions anyone???) and we started to run out of new events, people, etc. We became so good at the game that we blasted through the topics pretty quickly.
Recently, we transitioned to Catan, which is a small enough game to set up at the dinner table and play among us. It’s a game that is well balanced between strategy and luck. And, fortunately, it has a ton of expansion packs to keep us interested for a while!
Anywho, back to actual dinner! So, as I said, I love Mediterranean food this time of year because it tastes so fresh and vibrant and fulfills some of my cravings for warmer weather and fresh produce… warm weather is almost here!!!
This dish is super easy to make and packed with nutrients. I made a simple homemade baba ganoush with which I lined the serving bowls. On top, I added kofta balls, which I made using ground lamb… you can just as easily make this with ground beef, but I love the way fresh mint and oregano taste with ground lamb. Of course, if you want to avoid the red meats, this would work just as well with ground chicken, pork, or turkey!
I paired this with pearl couscous and a shepherd’s salad. I absolutely love making shepherd’s salads. They are packed with vitamins and a ton of flavor! And they pair so well with most Mediterranean dishes. Topped with a dollop of tzatziki, and this dish was good to go!
I recently made a Moroccan-style chicken with golden pearl couscous, which would easily work beautifully with this dish too! Turmeric has great health benefits without being overpowering in flavor, so it’s a great way to add nutrients to pastas, broths, and rice!
Once again, this is a perfect weeknight dinner that comes together in almost half an hour. Much of the prep work is making the salad, which can be made a day or two ahead. Honestly, making the salad ahead of time and letting it sit in the vinegar dressing really enhances the flavor!
Don’t skip on the baba ganoush or the tzatziki! Scooping up a little of both with the kofta balls and even the pearl couscous is soooo delicious! It takes this dish from average to amazing!
Enjoy!
Baba Ganoush Kofta Ball Bowls with Pearl Couscous & Shepherd’s Salad
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Mediterranean
- Cuisine: Dinner
Ingredients
Baba Ganoush
2 medium eggplants
¼ cup tahini
¼ nonfat Greek yogurt
6 garlic cloves
zest & juice of 2 lemons
2 TBs fresh mint
2 tsps ground cumin
1 tsp paprika
large pinch of salt & pepper
Kofta Balls
1 lb ground beef or lamb
½ onion, finely chopped and excess water squeezed out
4 garlic cloves, minced
zest & juice of 1 lemon
1 TB fresh mint, minced
1 TB fresh oregano, minced
2 tsps ground cumin
2 tsps coriander
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp ground sumac (optional)
⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
salt & pepper
1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil
To Serve
2 – 3 cups cooked pearl couscous
tzatziki
Instructions
Make the Baba Ganoush
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the eggplants in half and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle a good pinch of salt over the cut surface and rub in. Place cut side down on the parchment paper and cook for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes before handling.
Flip the eggplants and scrape off any excess seeds (I do not remove all of the seeds, but there is generally a chunk of seeds with little flesh right in the middle that I remove). Scrape the flesh away from the skin and place in the bowl of a food processor. Add in the tahini, yogurt, garlic, lemon zest & juice, mint, ground cumin, paprika, and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Process until smooth. Set aside.
Make the Kofta Balls
In a medium bowl, add onion, garlic, lemon zest & juice, mint, oregano, ground cumin, coriander, ground cinnamon, paprika, allspice, sumac (if using), and cayenne pepper. Add a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix together with a spoon until the spices are evenly distributed. Add in the ground beef or lamb and mix the ingredients by hand until the meat is thoroughly incorporated. Roll into balls about 2 inches in diameter ~ you should be able to roll 16 meatballs.
Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. When hot, carefully swirl the oil to coat the surface. Add the meatballs and cook for 4 minutes. Flip over and cover, cooking an additional 4 minutes.
Plate
Smear a fourth of the baba ganoush onto a plate or wide bowl. Place the kofka balls on top. Dish the pearl couscous and shepherd’s salad into the bowl and top, as desired, with tzatziki sauce.
Serve immediately. Enjoy!
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