Ingredients: 5 oz greek yogurt, 4 cloves garlic, small bunch mint, 1 lemon, 3/4 cup farro, 1 cucumber, 1 tomato, 1 red onion, 2 Tbsp sugar, 3 oz red wine vinegar, small bunch basil, 8 oz ground lamb, small bunch cilantro, 1 packet spice blend, 2 pitas, olive oil, salt & pepper, water
1. Finely chop 1 Tbsp cilantro and mince 2 cloves garlic. Combine ground lamb, cilantro, garlic, 1 Tbsp greek yogurt, 1 1/2 tsp spice blend, 1 Tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Shape mixture into 6 oblong cylinders, pressing together to make them smooth and well-formed. Let the shaped kofta stand while you prepare the sides and sauce, at least 10 minutes.
2. Place farro in a strainer with fine enough holes that the grain will not pass through. Rinse under running water until the water runs clear, or about 3 minutes. Fill a pot with 3 cups of water, and add salt. Bring water to a boil, add farro and cook for 15-25 minutes, or until tender. Drain through the strainer and rinse under cold water to cool.
3. While the farro is cooking slice 1/2 of the cucumber in 1/4” thick half-moons, cut tomato into small wedges, thinly slice 1/2 red onion, and chop 3-5 basil leaves. Blend red wine vinegar and sugar in a mixing bowl. Then combine cooled farro, cucumber, tomato, red onion, basil and 2 Tbsp olive oil with the red wine vinegar mixture. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. While waiting for farro to finish cooking or cooling, and after preparing the ingredients for the salad, prepare the mint and garlic yogurt sauce. Mince 2 cloves garlic, chop 7-10 mint leaves, and mix together with 4 oz greek yogurt and 1 Tbsp lemon juice in a bowl. (To squeeze juice out of lemon, first roll lemon against counter to pre-juice. Then half lemon and squeeze into a small bowl or measuring cup and measure out 1 Tbsp. Don’t forget to throw out the lemon seeds if any get in the juice.) Set aside finished tomato, cucumber and farro salad along with the mint and garlic yogurt sauce.
5. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with 1 Tbsp olive oil. Add kofta to pan and cook while turning occasionally to brown on all sides; for about 10 minutes or until done. Serve kofta with a side of pita, mint and garlic yogurt sauce and a hearty helping of tomato, cucumber and farro salad.
6. Eat and be merry!
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