FoodB

I decided on the way home from work last night to move this recipe up to tonight. I bought the ground lamb Monday night and didn't want to have to freeze and unfreeze or have the fact that the meat had been sitting in the fridge for a few extra days. The soup was all canned stuff anyways so it can sit.

Moroccan Spiced Lamb Meatballs in Cumin Coriander Spiced Tomato Sauce

Meatballs
2 1/2 lbs ground Lamb
Spice Mix, below
1 Egg
1/2 cup Ketchup

Spice Mix
1 Tbsn ground coriander, toasted
1 Tbsn ground cumin, toasted
1 Tsp curry powder
1 Tsp garlic powder
1 Tsp onion powder
1 Tsp dried oregano
1 Tsp dried thyme
3/4 Tsp ground mustard
3/4 Tsp paprika
1/2 Tsp ground allspice
1/2 Tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 Tsp chili powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Meatball Sauce
2 Tbsn olive oil
1/2 cup minced onion
1 Tbsn minced garlic
1 Tbsn minced shallots
2 cinnamon sticks
1 Tbsn ground cumin, toasted*
1 Tbsn ground coriander, toasted
4 cups tomato puree
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsn thinly sliced mint leaves
1 Tbsn minced Italian parsley leaves

Slivered almonds, toasted, for garnish
Chopped fresh mint leaves, for garnish
Warmed pita wedges, for serving

1. Meatballs: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, mix lamb, Spice Mix, egg, and ketchup, being careful not to overwork the meat. Form into 1 1/4-ounce balls, about the size of a ping-pong ball. Place meatballs on a large baking sheet and bake for approximately 20 minutes.
3. Sauce: In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the oil and heat, then add the onions and lightly sauté until soft. Add garlic, shallots, cinnamon sticks, cumin, and coriander and sauté over low heat, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add tomato puree and bring to a boil. Add stock and season sauce with salt, ground black pepper, mint, and parsley. Simmer for about 10 minutes and remove the cinnamon sticks.
4. To serve: Add the meatballs to the sauce and heat until warmed through. Pour a small amount of sauce on the plate and add 5 meatballs per serving. Garnish with toasted slivered almonds, mint, and warm pita wedges.

Note: To toast spices, heat in a small, dry skillet over low heat until fragrant.

I really liked this one. We didn't have curry powder so we left it out and didn't miss it at all. Even though there were a boatload of spices, it didn't take away from the meat at all. I'm also starting to wonder how this recipe would do as a hamburger. Good stuff, easy to make, and I think we have a new addition to our rotation of recipes.