Kotlet (Persian Ground Meat and Potato Patties)

• servings: 8 servings
• active time: 25 minutes
• total time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds (680g) russet potatoes, peeled, cut in 2-inch chunks, and rinsed under cold running water

Kosher salt

4 large eggs

1 pound (450g) ground beef, ground lamb, or a combination

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

All-purpose flour, for dusting the patties

Extra-virgin olive oil, neutral vegetable oil, or a combination, for pan-frying

Directions

In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with at least 1 inch cold water. Season with salt (the water should taste seasoned but not unpleasantly so). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until potatoes are tender, approximately 15 minutes.

Drain potatoes into a colander and then briefly rinse with warm running water. Let stand in colander until the potatoes' residual heat dries them slightly, 1 to 2 minutes.

Press the cooked potatoes through a ricer or a food mill into the now-empty saucepan. Alternatively, mash well with a potato masher or whisk.

In a large mixing bowl or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs vigorously until foamy.

Add ground meat, ground turmeric, pepper, and 2 1/2 teaspoons (8g) salt and mix either by hand or with the stand mixer until ingredients are well combined.

Add mashed potatoes and mix well until ingredients are thoroughly combined into a uniform sticky mass. (I use my bare hand to do this, which is not only the fastest and most effective method, but also gives you a feel for the mixture that you will be making patties from.)

Preheat oven to 250°F (120°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out 1 3/4–ounce (50g) portions (3 to 4 tablespoons) of the mixture onto the parchment paper (I use my #20 ice cream disher to do this).

Spread flour in a pie plate or wide, shallow bowl. Set a wire rack inside a rimmed baking sheet.

In a large cast-iron skillet or stainless-steel sauté pan, heat 1/8 inch oil over medium heat until shimmering (you can also tell whether the oil is hot enough if a couple of pea-size pieces of the mixture dropped in sizzle vigorously).

Very lightly dredge 1 portion of meat mixture in flour, then shake off excess flour. Gently form into an oval patty approximately 1/2 inch thick, and carefully place in the skillet. Using a soup spoon, gently press a slight dimple, no more than 1/8 inch deep, into the middle of the patty.

Repeat dredging, forming patties, and putting in the skillet until the skillet is full but not crowded; leave about 1/2 inch space between patties. (I can comfortably fit 7 or 8 patties in my 12-inch cast iron skillet.)

Cook until the first patty that you have placed in the skillet is deep brown on the bottom, about 8 minutes. Flip patty, then continue to flip subsequent patties as each browns sufficiently, and cook until the second side is deep brown, 4 to 5 minutes longer. Transfer cooked patties to prepared wire rack and keep warm in oven.

Continue forming and frying until all of the mixture has been used and all the patties have been pan-fried.

Nutrition

• Calories: 305 kcal
• Total Fat: 16 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 143 mg
• Sodium: 138 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 19 g
• Dietary Fiber: 2 g
• Total Sugars: 1 g
• Protein: 21 g