956. Kebab Maajooqa: Mushroom and Cheese Stuffed Kofta

I loved this Halabi Kebab Maajooqa (كباب معجوقة الحلبي), being a kofta presented in an almost kubba appearance. The meat makes for the thinnest of shells encompassing a molten volcano lava filling of meaty sauteed mushroom, copious parsley, and lashings of mozzarella cheese.
A unique method is used to shape these kofta, in fact, it is the same method used to shape a certain Syrian kubba I plan on making for the blog some time insha Allah. A soup plate is turned upside down and a plastic film is placed over the base. The rim of the plate is what helps us shape the kofta. I used a 50-50 mix of minced beef and minced lamb for the ideal fat content for me, but feel free to use only beef or only lamb.

Ingredients:

For the kofta:
250g minced beef
250g minced lamb
1 Tbsp breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp allspice powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp powder garlic
1 tsp ghee, for roasting

For the stuffing:
2 Tbsp butter
200g fresh mushroom, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp thyme
3/4 cup parsley, chopped
20 blanched almonds, fried
150g block mozzarella, sliced

Method:

Make the stuffing first: saute the onion and mushroom in the butter until wilted and reduced and almost dry.
Add the salt, pepper, and thyme; stir, and remove from the heat.
Stir in the chopped fresh parsley and set aside to cool.
Make the kofta: in a food processor, process half of the minced beef, egg, and breadcrumbs to a paste.
Put the minced lamb in a bowl and add to it the beef paste, salt, pepper, allspice, chili, garlic powder and knead well by hand until incorporated. Divide meat into five portions.
Turn a soup plate upside down on your work surface. Place a sheet of plastic wrap over the base. Working with one portion of meat at a time, divide the meat in half. Wetting your hands in cold water, pat one half of the meat portion to within the rimmed circle of the soup plate bottom. Remove the plastic wrap from the plate with the meat circle still attached, and repeat for the other half portion. This once, once patted into a circle, leave it on the upside down plate. Spoon a large tablespoon of the mushroom filling in the center, arrange four fried almonds, and top with mozzarella slices. Then, taking your first meat circle still on the plastic, turn it meat-side down to encompass the filling. Working from the outside of the plastic wrap now, press any air pockets out of the kofta and seal the edges tightly. Peel the plastic away from the stuffed kofta and place on a baking sheet.
Repeat four more times to make five stuffed koftas.
Dived the teaspoon of ghee over the surface of the five koftas and spread using your fingers.
Bake the koftas in a preheated 400F oven for about 15 minutes until the meat is cooked and browned.
Serve alongside a salad and fried potato.

صحة و عافية