Baked Middle Eastern Ground Beef Kofta with Pearl Couscous and Cucumber Salad

Preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C) and lightly grease a baking sheet with 1 tbsp of olive oil.

Wash and finely dice 1 medium English cucumber. Peel and finely chop 1 small red onion. Wash, dry, and finely chop 1 bunch of fresh mint leaves to yield about 1/2 cup of chopped mint.

Prepare the creamy dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of plain Greek yogurt, the juice of 1 medium lemon, 1 minced garlic clove, 2 tbsp of the chopped mint, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1/4 tsp of black pepper until smooth. Set aside.

Prepare the cucumber salad: In a medium bowl, combine the diced cucumber, half of the chopped red onion, 2 tbsp of the chopped mint, 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tbsp of the prepared lemon-yogurt dressing, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1/4 tsp of black pepper. Toss well to combine and place in the refrigerator to chill.

Make the kofta mixture: In a large bowl, combine 1.5 lb of raw ground beef, the remaining chopped red onion, 3 minced garlic cloves, the remaining chopped mint, 1.5 tsp of ground cumin, 1.5 tsp of ground coriander, 1 tsp of salt, and 1/2 tsp of black pepper. Mix with your hands until the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.

Shape the beef mixture into 8 equal oval logs (about 3 to 4 inches long) and place them spaced apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the koftas are nicely browned and reach an internal temperature of 160°F.

While the koftas bake, cook the couscous: Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1.25 cups of dry pearl couscous and toast, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes until lightly golden. Carefully pour in 1.75 cups of water and 1/2 tsp of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

To serve, divide the warm fluffed pearl couscous and chilled cucumber salad among four plates. Place two baked beef koftas on each plate and drizzle generously with the remaining lemon-yogurt dressing.