The Houndstooth Gourmet

I have been wanting to try lamb meatballs for a while now. I enjoy lamb in most every way, except braised lamb shank for some odd reason. I don’t know, maybe it just doesn’t braise well. The most tasty lamb I’ve ever eaten was expertly prepared by Chef Cathal Armstrong at Restaurant Eve in Alexandria, VA. It was about 3 years ago and my first (very excited) visit to the Tasting Room. I ordered the 5 course tasting menu (which was really 9 courses when counting the amuse bouche and goodies from the kitchen) and ordered lamb 4 ways as my main protien. Among the 4 preparations was lamb kidney and I’m not an organ meat eater generally, but I knew the chef is crazy talented and works with all parts of an animal lovingly. It was amazing. The lamb kidney had an intense lamb flavor, even deeper than the braised meat beside it. The texture was almost meat-like and really, I wouldn’t have known it was kidney if I wasn’t told.

Here, lamb provides a distinctly different flavor to the meatball. Moroccan spices compliment the savory lamb and the tomato-yogurt sauce has a nice tang from the acidity of the yogurt. These meatballs would make a wonderful appetizer if made bite sized and served with pita bread and the sauce for dipping. Here, I’ve simply made it with plain old spaghetti. The leftovers were gone within a day!

Ingredients for the lamb meatballs:

1-1 1/2 lb. ground lamb

3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs

1/2 cup half and half or milk

1 egg

1 small onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. cumin

1 T. corriander

1/2 t. cinnamon

1 t. dried oregano

1 t. dried thyme

3/4 t. paprika

3/4 t. ground mustard

1/2 t. chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for the tomato-yogurt sauce:

1 small onion, diced

1 T. olive oil

3 cups tomato sauce or puree

1/2 small can tomato paste

1 8 oz. container yogurt (I used non fat)

1 T. cumin

1 T. corriander

1 t. curry powder

1/4 t. cinnamon

Directions:

For the meatballs.

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees

In bowl, place bread crumbs and pour over half and half. Stir to incorporate. Add ground lamb, onions, garlic, spices, egg, salt and pepper. Combine but do not overwork the meat. Fry a small patty of lamb to check for seasoning. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Roll lamb into golf size meatballs and place on a baking sheet or top of a broiler pan (to allow grease to drip away. Space 1 inch apart. Bake in oven for 22 minutes until brown. Add meatball to sauce and continue to simmer in a covered pot for 20 minutes.

For the sauce.

In a heavy bottom saucepan or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add tomato sauce and tomato paste. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add 1 T. each, cumin and corriander. Add 1 t. curry powder and 1/4 t. cinnamon. Add yogurt and salt to taste. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

*Presto Pasta Night is a weekly blogging event sponsored by Ruth at Once Upon A Feast. This is my second entry!

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Tags: presto pasta night, Recipe, pasta, lamb //