Lamb Meatballs With Feta Lemon And Mint Recipe 415

Steps:

• Make meatballs: In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients except oil. I like to do this with a fork. Using wet hands, form mixture into small (1 1/2 to 2-inch diameter) meatballs; I have taken to using a large (just shy of 3 tablespoon) cookie scoop for easy sizing. Brown meatballs: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat it through. Evenly space meatballs in pan and very carefully turn and roll them so that all sides become brown. Don't worry if they don't remain perfectly round; mine never do. Don't worry if some pieces become stuck to the pan; they will deliciously infuse the sauce in a minute. Drain meatballs on a paper towel-lined plate. [If you prefer not to fry your meatballs before cooking them in the sauce, you can cook them right in the sauce -- it will take about 10 minutes longer.] Make sauce and finish cooking meatballs: Pour out all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet and return to medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add wine or vermouth and scrape up any bits stuck to the pan. Cook until the liquid almost disappears. Add tomatoes, oregano, lemon zest, salt, pepper flakes, olives (if you're using them now), mint and parsley. Bring mixture to a simmer and return meatballs to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook at the lowest simmer for 20 to 24 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. Squeeze lemon juice over meatballs and sauce. Serve: Sprinkled with additional olives, feta and herbs. We had this with orzo and a Greek salad.

Steps:

• First the sauce: pass the tomatoes through a food mill, toast the cumin seeds for a few minutes over medium heat, until they release their aroma and are lightly browned, pound them finely in a mortar. Heat a saucepan over medium high heat for 1 minute then add oil, the rosemary and chile and heat another minute. Add the onion, thyme, cumin, cinnamon and cayenne bay leaf and saute for 5-6 minutes until the onion is translucent. Add the toms, sugar, juice and zest, heaping 1/2 tsp salt and some freshly ground pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes over medium low heat until reduced by one third. Taste for seasoning The meatballs: first of all, I would NEVER waste my time with lamb, preferring equal amounts freshly ground beef and pork in my kichenaid grinder. That said..... preheat oven to 400 In a large bowl mix together onions, cream, yolks, cinnamon, cumin, aleppo pepper and cayenne. Place the lamb in the bowl and season evenly with 2 1/2 tsp salt and lots of pepper. Add the breadcrumbs (this is where you can make it gluten free) and parsley. Combine the mixture well. Shape the balls into 1 1/2 oz balls, or use a cookie scoop and roll the contents after scooping out all the mixture into little piles. Pour the tomato sauce into a large oven to table baking dish Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and place the balls on it, spacing evenly after rolling them into balls. Turn the meatballs over during cooking. Watch the process as you don't want to overcook them as they will continue cooking in the sauce. When you suspect they are done, cut one in half and inspect for any lingering red colored uncooked meat. Once they are done remove tray from oven and warm up sauce on stovetop. Once the sauce has come to a slow boil, add the meatballs gently to the sauce coating all the meatballs, then bake in the oven for about 20 minutes I usually have a bag in the freezer of pureed leeks, or a roasted baby yam in the fridge. I have been known to add about 1/2 of pureed leek and one baby yam to the meat mixture. Meatballs are a great way to hide veg on the grandchildren. Don't be tempted to add butternut squash or any other squash, it's to squashyyyy tasting. Just the yam or/and pureed leek before serving add the crumbled feta and mint over the dish.

Steps:

• Prepare sauce: In an ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm oil. Add onions and sauté until soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in tomatoes and salt and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer sauce, occasionally mashing tomatoes against side of pot with a wooden spoon, until they break down and sauce thickens, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Pass sauce through coarsest disc of a food mill, or purée it until smooth in a food processor or blender. Return sauce to pot.
• Prepare meatballs: Soak baguette in enough water to cover until soft and falling apart. Squeeze dry. In a very large skillet over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons oil. Add onions and sauté until translucent but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, stir well, and turn off heat. Let cool.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine lamb, pork, cheese, parsley, mint, pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, onion mixture and bread. Using your hands, mix well. Form mixture into 1 3/4-inch meatballs.
• Add remaining oil to pan, and warm it over medium-high heat. Fry meatballs, turning on all sides, until well browned. Transfer meatballs to platters lined with paper towels.
• Add wine to skillet, and let it simmer for a few minutes, scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Pour wine into tomato sauce and add meatballs. Cover pot and bake for 30 minutes.
• Just before serving, heat broiler. Brush baguette slices with olive oil. Toast them under broiler until golden around edges, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Serve meatballs with sauce, crostini and extra cheese.