ZUCCHINI
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil (we used about half of this)
2 medium zucchini (1 1/4 lb total), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices (don’t skim on their thickness, or you will have difficulty threading them)
KEFTA (MEATBALLS)
2 slices firm white sandwich bread, torn into small pieces
1 small onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted
1 pound ground lamb or ground turkey, preferably dark meat
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Kefta, more often spelled kofta, is a family of spiced, seasoned ground beef, chicken, pork, or lamb, sometimes popular throughout the Middle East as well as the Indian subcontinent, the Balkans, and Central Asia. Most often, they’re grilled in cigar-like shapes on skewers. This version, with tiny meatballs, is a twist on the classic from a 1980 (!) Gourmet Magazine.
