LAMB MEATBALLS WITH WHITE WINE SAUCE

lamb meatballs

Lamb meatballs are mostly indigenous to Mediterranean countries, India and the Middle East.  Many shy away from the gamey and pungent lamb flavor and it’s unquestionably an acquired taste.  However, if you wanted to dive into any lamb dish, these don’t particularly have that defined lamby taste.  Lamb is pretty lean, so to ensure that these stay juicy they need a bit of fat hence cooking the onion prior to adding the raw mixture.  The sauce is stellar and I’m going to go as far as saying that once you make these, you will make them again, and again and again.

 

MEATBALLS

1 LB of ground lamb – preferably ground by the butcher

2 eggs beaten

3 TBSP Grey Poupon mustard – non-grainy

¼ cup of chopped mint

½ cup of chopped parsley

4 TBSP of milk soaking 4 TBSP breadcrumbs – preferably homemade

¼ TSP of fresh grated nutmeg

1 TSP ground cumin

¼ TSP cinnamon

½ TSP smoked sweet Spanish paprika – not smoked

1 TSP Aleppo pepper

1 TSP Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

1 TSP granulated garlic

½ medium onion – very finely chopped

Microgreens – for garnish

 

SAUCE

4 shallots – chopped finely

2 garlic cloves – chopped finely

¼ cup of ½ and ½

¼ cup of dry white wine

½ cup of low sodium chicken stock

10 almonds – blanched and skins removed

1 cup of peas

2 TBSP of butter

1 cup of chicken stock

½ TSP of Better than Bouillon

Fresh grated nutmeg

Kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper

 

PREHEAT OVEN TO 450F

Soak the breadcrumbs in the milk until absorbed – about 30 minutes.  Sweat the onion till translucent.  Mix all the ingredients with the lamb and form the mixture to about 1½” balls.  Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly oil it.  Bake the balls for about 15 minutes.

In a Dutch oven, heat some olive oil and sweat the shallots and the garlic with some salt for about 10 minutes.

Toast the almonds in a small skillet, being careful as they burn very easily.  Drain in paper towels. Do the same with the slice of bread.  Place the almonds, the fried bread, wine, chopped parsley, chicken stock and the cooked shallots with garlic in a food processor to make a paste.  Add the contents to the same Dutch oven where you sweated the garlic and shallots, season with salt and pepper and add the meatballs into the sauce. Cook for about 20 minutes turning halfway through the cooking.  Add the peas 5 minutes before the balls are cooked.  If the sauce has become too thick, thin with some more chicken stock. Adjust seasonings and garnish with some microgreens.

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