These sweet and savory meatballs make good use of the fresh eucalyptus you can sometimes find at the local greenmarkets. The eucalyptus in this recipe must not be eaten—the toxic leaves can cause adverse health effects if consumed in large quantities—but as the skewer is right up against your nose when nibbling the kofte, the eucalyptus scent radically changes the way you experience the flavor of the kofte itself.
Bison Kofte with Eucalyptus and Prune
2 lbs ground bison
1 large minced onion
8 tsp kofta baharati (a spice blend you can purchase at Kalustyan's; alternately, use any meatball spice mix you prefer)
1/2 C bread crumbs
2 tbsp fine semolina
1 egg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Dried prunes, quartered
Fresh eucalyptus, cut into skewers and rinsed
Knead together everything but the prunes and eucalyptus . Make into tiny spheres, with a dried prune quarter in the center of each. Pan-fry in a bit of safflower oil until nice and brown on all sides. Skewer on eucalyptus.
