Kofte Kebabs and Ben Ami Cabernet Sauvignon: a BBQer’s Bliss #winePW

 This month on #WinePW (wine pairing weekend) we are exploring the wines and flavors of the Middle East.  We are being hosted by Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm.  She's sharing a mezzo platter that you don't want to miss.  I decided to feature a wine from Israel.  I hadn't had a wine from there before, and I am all about trying new things.  I did stick with a grape I was familiar with, a Cabernet Sauvignon.

Relatively speaking, wines from Israel are considered "up and coming."  Even though they have been making wine for thousands of years, the area really didn't pop up on the wine radar until the late 1940s.  Today there are over 300 wineries, with the vast majority being boutique style.  Most of the grapes grown are the French variety, but some vineyards are experimenting with indigenous grapes. You will find bibical varieties such as Hamdani, Jandali and Dabouki, Baladi, Asmar, and Bittuni.  There is alot of enthusiasm for bringing these grapes into the wine culture.

With a Mediterranean climate, the Sea of Israel brings rain, humidy and wind. The wind provides ventilation and a cooling effect. Israel has all the seasons, even some snow, which provides a wonderful opportunity for grapes and how the grapes sweeten.  Annual rainfall is a constant issue for grape farmers, so that is something that they deal with every day.

I chose a wine from Total Wines (easily accessible) for about $12 a bottle.  Produced in the Judean Hills and coastal plains, it is balanced by the intensity of fruit from the Upper Galilee. It was aged eight months in American oak.  Ruby red/chocolate color, with dark chocolate and cherry flavors with a long finish. To me this wine tastes "young," and needs to age for awhile.

Kosher Supervision: OK
Additional Supervision: Rabbi Ungar, Rabbi Berger
Producer: Ben Ami
Vintage: 2019
Color: Red
Varietal: Cabernet Sauvignon
Dry
Mevushal
Kosher for Passover: Yes
Bottle Size: 750 ML
13% Alcohol

I paired this wine with a traditional Israeli food called Kofte Kebabs.  Kebabs are simply meat or seafood cooked on a skewer or spit. It is a great technique for cooking proteins quickly.  My title calls this a BBQer's bliss because you can sear off the meat and then let it cook slowly while you grill veggies or other proteins.  But don't let the lack of a grill keep you from making these.  You can panfry these or even use a griddle.  We served these with a cucumber salad, fresh tomatoes and tzatziki sauce.

Kofte Kebab

Yield: 4

Author: Terri Steffes

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 Mininactive time: 12 HourTotal time: 12 H & 15 M

Delicious taste of the Middle East!

Ingredients

• 1/4 c panko crumbs
• 1/4 c milk
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 t salt
• 1 t cumin
• 1/2 t allspice
• 1/2 t onion powder
• 1/2 t paprika
• 1/8 t cayenne
• 1/4 c minced mint leaves
• 1/4 c minced flat leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Soak 4 10" wooden skewers in water for 30 minutes-hour.
2. Place panko in a small bowl, add in milk. Soak for 15 minutes, then squeeze out the extra milk.
3. In a bowl add ground beef, panko and all the spices.  Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
4. Divide the meat into 8 portions about 2 oz each.  Mold the meat around the skewers (2 per skewer) and refrigerate for 30 minutes.  
5. Heat grill to high.  Arrange the skewers on the grill, cooking until the meat is marked with grill marks.  Turn and cook until meat is fully cooked.

Calories

353.13

Fat (grams)

20.53

Sat. Fat (grams)

7.65

Carbs (grams)

7.70

Fiber (grams)

1.31

Net carbs

6.39

Sugar (grams)

1.40

Protein (grams)

32.78

Sodium (milligrams)

751.71

Cholesterol (grams)

101.69

Did you make this recipe?

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See other delicious Middle Eastern country wines here:

• Robin of Crushed Grape Chronicles is Celebrating Sauvignon Blanc Day at the table with St. Supéry and easy Middle Eastern Dishes 
• Pinny of Chinese Food and Wine Pairing is Drinking Serious Wine from Israel's Domaine du Castel and Eating Causal Israeli Food
• Nicole of Somm’s Table is "Indulging My Lebanese Cravings with Chateau Musar Jeune Rouge" 
• Susannah of Avvinare shares Israeli Wine From the Judean Hills and Tabbouleh Salad
• Terri of Our Good Life talks about Kofte Kebabs and Ben Ami Cabernet Sauvignon: a BBQer’s Bliss. 
• Andrea of The Quirky Cork visits Lebanon and Syria, a Crossroads of Wines and Flavors 
• Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla is sharing Man'oushe + Château Musar Lebanon Jeune Red 2017 
• Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm made up a  Mezze Platter with Middle Eastern Wines
• Jane of Always Ravenous is "Pairing Middle Eastern Flavors with Wine" 
• David of Cooking Chat is serving Sesame Free Hummus with Wine from the Middle East 
• Gwendolyn of Wine Predator shares So Africa’s Organic Reyneke Syrah and Chenin Blanc with Instant Pot