Mediterranean Lamb Balls

Name: Mediterranean Lamb Balls
Yield: Makes about 2 dozen 1 1/2-inch balls
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 pounds ground lamb; 3 large eggs; 1 cup dark raisins, chopped; 1/2 cup walnut halves, finely chopped; 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley; 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint; 1/2 cup bread crumbs; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

January 24, 2012

When we opened the Shop, these Mediterranean balls were our first daily special. We were so busy that we didn’t get a chance to change it for three weeks, but nobody really complained because they were so delicious. People still get excited when we bring them back for a day or two. The raisins and walnuts give this ball a subtly sweet and earthy quality that complements the lamb. Make these into mini balls and pass them around at your next party. Just add toothpicks and Spinach-Basil Pesto (page 58) for dip. No sauce required. Or serve them over a bed of Braised Kale with Anchovies and Garlic (page 93) or Creamed Spinach (page 100).

Recipe information

Yield
Makes about 2 dozen 1 1/2-inch balls

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 pounds ground lamb

3 large eggs

1 cup dark raisins, chopped

1/2 cup walnut halves, finely chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Drizzle the olive oil into a 9 × 13-inch baking dish and use your hand to evenly coat the entire surface. Set aside.
Step 2
Combine the ground lamb, eggs, raisins, walnuts, parsley, mint, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl and mix by hand until thoroughly incorporated.
Step 3
Roll the mixture into round, golf ball–size meatballs (about 1 1/2 inches), making sure to pack the meat firmly. Place the balls in the prepared baking dish, being careful to line them up snugly and in even rows vertically and horizontally to form a grid. The meatballs should be touching one another.
Step 4
Roast for 20 minutes, or until the meatballs are firm and cooked through. A meat thermometer inserted into the center of a meatball should read 165°F.
Step 5
Allow the meatballs to cool for 5 minutes in the baking dish before serving.

Reprinted with permission from The Meatball Shop Cookbook by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow with Lauren Deen. Copyright © 2011 by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow; photographs copyright © 2011 by John Kernick. Published by Ballantine Books, an imprint of The Random House Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved. Daniel Holzman is executive chef at The Meatball Shop. He is an alum of Le Bernadin, San Francisco's Fifth Floor, and Aqua, among other highly acclaimed restaurants. He attended the Culinary Institute of America, where he received a full scholarship from the James Beard Foundation. Michael Chernow runs the front-of-house operations and the beverage program at The Meatball Shop. He has worked extensively in restaurants in New York and Los Angeles. He is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, where he earned degrees in culinary arts and restaurant management. He and Holzman met as teenagers when they worked together as delivery boys at the New York vegan restaurant Candle Café. Needless to say, the vegan thing didn't really stick. Lauren Deen is the author of the New York Times bestselling Cook Yourself Thin series and Kitchen Playdates. She is an Emmy award—and James Beard award— winning television producer and director. She is currently executive producer of food(ography) on the Cooking Channel.

TagsMeatball Mediterranean Ground Lamb Lamb Meat Main Dinner Dairy Free Easy Weeknight Meals Roast Cookbooks

Recipe information

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

Recipe notes