Mediterranean-Style Lamb Meatballs


Ingredients

Yogurt Sauce

  • 1/2 cup plain low-fat yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon tahini (sesame seed paste)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Roasted Pepper Relish

  • 1/4 cup roasted red peppers drained and finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup water plus 3 tablespoons
  • 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
  • pinch coarse salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Meatballs

  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 1/4 cup mint thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons white onions coarsely grated
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil divided
  • 1 onion peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
  • 4 5-7 inch diameter naan or soft round Middle Eastern flatbreads

Instructions

Yogurt Sauce

  1. Measure ingredients into a bowl and fold to combine. Cover and set aside.

Red Pepper Relish

  1. Heat a pan over medium high heat and add the roasted peppers, water and the pomegranate molasses. Bring to simmer, stirring. Cook until the liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup stirring occasionally – about 5 minutes. Add parsley then taste, adjusting with salt, pepper, and more pomegranate molasses, if desired. Hold warm in the oven with the cooked onions. (below)

Meatballs

  1. Preheat oven to low, or 200°F if your oven does not have a low setting; line a sheet pan with parchment or foil.
  2. Combine the lamb with the mint, grated onion, garlic cloves, paprika, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix thoroughly. On a clean work surface, measure 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture into mounds and with lightly moistened fingertips, shape the meat into balls.
  3. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat with ½ of the olive oil. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring until golden brown, about 7 – 10 minutes. Transfer onions to the prepared baking sheet and place in oven to hold warm.
  4. Wipe the skillet, add the remaining olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs, turning until just cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to the baking sheet (or all to a decorative platter) and serve with yogurt sauce, red pepper relish, onions, and warm flatbread.
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