Lamb and Fig Kofte with Pumpkin Puree and Peach Sauce

Lamb and Fig Kofte with Pumpkin Puree and Peach Sauce

A couple of weeks ago, someone reached out for help with a recipe, and as the wife of an Armenian, I decided to take on the challenge and recreate it.

This post is dedicated to you, u/thing155!

Here’s my take on the dish:
My Attempt

And here’s what I was trying to replicate:
Original Recipe

You can also check out u/thing155’s original post here:
Thing155’s Post

I was initially doubtful about the combination of peaches and figs being overly sweet, but it turns out the pumpkin puree balanced everything beautifully! The dish turned out to be surprisingly delicious!

I consulted several recipes and settled on the following.

LAMB KOFTE:

Blend together:
– 6 oz pine nuts
– 4 minced garlic cloves
– 3/4 tsp cumin
– 1/2 tsp coriander
– 1/4 tsp clove
– 1/2 tsp nutmeg
– 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Then mix in:
– 1 cup dried figs, finely diced (fresh figs are out of season)
– 1/2 to 1 cup grated onion (squeeze out the excess liquid)
– 1/2 cup chopped parsley
– 2 lbs ground lamb
– 1/3 cup mint
– 1 packet unflavored gelatin

Form the mixture into kebabs and let them rest in the fridge (I prefer to leave them overnight). I initially planned to grill them, but the weather was too cold, so I broiled them at 500°F, flipping until they were nicely browned.

PUMPKIN PUREE:

Sauté the following in olive oil:
– 1 diced onion

Once softened, add:
– 3 minced garlic cloves
– 2 cups canned pumpkin
– 2.5 cups diced potatoes
– 3/4 cup diced celery root
– 2 cups vegetable broth
– 1 tsp each of salt, pepper, and garlic powder

Cook until everything is tender, then blend until smooth.

PEACH BASIL SAUCE:

Begin by blooming a pinch of saffron in 1 cup of water.

In a pan, sauté:
– 1 Vidalia onion in olive oil

Once softened, add:
– 2 minced garlic cloves
– 1 tbsp sugar
– 4 small peeled and diced peaches
– 1 tbsp tomato paste
– 1 tbsp white vinegar
– 1 tbsp grated ginger
– 1/2 tsp coriander
– 2 tsp lime juice
– 1 cup fresh basil

(Then incorporate the saffron water)

Cook everything down and blend until smooth.

Apologies for any typos—I’m feeling a bit lazy today! Enjoy!