Cevapi with Tabouli

I had not realised how easy cevapi were to make.  I really like them, but have shied away from them as I thought "The Darlings" would turn up their little noses at them as being too spicy.

I saw this recipe in Valli Little's Quick Smart Cook Cookbook and decided to give it a go.  There wasn't a huge amount of "spiciness" in these so I decided to give them a go.  Saying that though I did change the recipe a little.  I was being quite lazy - when I had bought my meat at the supermarket the minces were all bundled up in 500g packages - the recipe did call for 500g beef mince, 100g lamb mince and 250g pork mince - but as I had thawed out the 500g lots I just went with 500g of each - probably changed the dynamics of the recipe - but oh well!!  I will give you the recipe as it appears in the cookbook, and you can either make it that way, or go they way I did with the 500g of each.  The only other change I made was adding a small onion, which I put through the food processor.

Cevapi


Makes 10


500g lean beef mince
100g lean lamb mince
250g lean pork mince
3 cloves crushed garlic
1 tbs bicarbonate of soda
2 tbs paprika


Place the mince, garlic, bicarb soda and paprika in a food processor, season with 2 teaspoons sea salt and lots of black pepper, then pulse to just combine.


Using damp hands, form the mixture into 10 sausage shapes, then chill in the fridge for at least 10 minutes to firm up.


Heat a chargrill pan, frypan, or BBQ hotplate over medium high heat.  Rub the cevapi with a little olive oil and cook, turning for 3-5 minutes until browned and cooked through.

Now what I did with them was probably a little unconventional.  I served them on lebanese bread with hommous, avocado, and tabouli (and chilli sauce!)  I was pretty impressed.  Of course "The Darlings" said they were still a little spicy for them - but they did eat them.

Here is the recipe for the tabouli I whipped up.

Tabouli


1 cup burghul
1 bunch continental parsley
2 green shallots
3 tomatoes, finely diced
100g chargrilled capsicum, finely diced
juice of half a lemon
olive oil
salt and pepper




Soak the burghul in boiling water for 15-20 minutes, or until tender.  Drain well.


Whizz the parsley and shallots in a food processor until finely chopped.  Combine the burghul, parsley/shallot mixture, tomatoes, capsicum, and lemon juice.  Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Add a good lug of olive oil.

"The Darlings" may have turned their noses slightly up at them, but what they don't realize is that the leftovers are being recycled tonight - being broken up and forming the basis of my bolognese sauce!!!