I only seem to cluster post on savoury things. This time, and once more featuring my husband’s fine hands, it’s turkey kofte. Think meatball on a stick. The turkey is continuing on the health kick I’m trying to cling on to. As for turkey mince itself, it seems you either make turkey burgers or turkey bolognese. Neither of these things appeal to me.

However, that Jamie Oliver one offers this fancy recipe. I didn’t’ know what a kofte was but I liked that it had lots of herbs and some secret vegetables. Needless to say it was lovely. A welcome change to the standard catalogue of my weekly dinners. What’s more it’s actually genuinely healthy and doesn’t make you feel like a leaden slug.

As for life. The planning nightmare continues. The day after the planning appeal date lapsed I realised that my elevations man has drawn our front elevation wrong. Brilliant. On a more positive frequency the bank holiday was great.

A subset of my siblings and I had had professional photos taken, thanks to a prize #3 won. We went to view the photos on Saturday. Obviously, with my unabashed cheeriness I assumed we were in for a teeth grindingly cringy hour reviewing over-posed photos. How wrong I was. I loved loads of the photos. Everyone looked perfectly respectable and my boys were just so beautiful.

Also, my youngest, for some unknown reason, calls the eldest (Tom) Boss. Not sure why but I love it. We’re definitely going through a good patch. It’s nice.

To the kofte. This quantity fed 5 grown ups and 2 piggish children.

For the kofte;

Turkey mince (breast and thigh)           800g

Courgette                                                    2 medium

Ground cumin                                            1 teaspoon

Dried oregano                                            1 teaspoon

Scallions                                                      4

Red chili                                                       1/2

Fresh mint                                                  good handful when unchopped

Fresh coriander                                         ”

Fresh parsley                                              ”

Egg                                                                 1

Yoghurt Sauce;

Greek yoghurt                                             250g

Tahini                                                            2 tablespoons

Lemon juice                                                 2 tablespoons

Tomato Sauce;

Big tomatoes                                                5

Onion                                                             2

Garlic cloves                                                3

Red chili                                                        1/2

Tomato puree                                              2 tablespoons

Light muscavado                                         1 tablespoon

Red wine vinegar                                        1 tablespoon

Despite that lengthy list of ingredients it actually isn’t that complex.

Put the turkey mince into a large mixing bowl.

Finely grate in the courgettes.I didn’t peel mine. I don’t know if you’re meant to. We didn’t die.

Sprinkle in the cumin and oregano.

Slice the scallions, put them in.

Finely dice the chili and throw that in too.

Chop in the fresh herbs.

Crack in the egg.

Season.

Still there?

Use your hands to smush everything together.

Take egg sized scoops from the mix and form into neat lumps, placing them on a clean chopping board as you go.

When all the mix is used cover the whole lot with cling film and put it in the fridge for about 30mins to firm up. I actually did do this bit this time. I’m developing as a person.

As that chills you can make your sauces.

The yoghurt one is handy; mix all the ingredients together. Nice.

The tomatoey one is a bit more involved.

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Chop your tomatoes in half, along with the onions (unpeeled) and put them in a baking tray. Bruise the garlic and throw that in too and then, finally, toss in the chili whole. Season and pop in the oven for 30mins to bake.

When cooked everything should be good and soft. Let it cool down (I even did this bit).

Take the skin off the onions and garlic and put the flesh in a blender along with the tomatoes, chili, tomato puree, sugar and red wine vinegar. Blitz till smooth and you have yourself a lovely tomato sauce.

I should say I served my kofte with couscous. You should too. It’s very easy.

To cook skewer the turkey lumps – two or three to a skewer. But if you don’t have any skewers then just put the individuals pieces straight onto the grill rack.

Cook under a hot grill for 15 to 20mins till they start to char a bit, turn them a few times in that time.

We got there.

The photo below isn’t great but it shows that the boys ate them.