This is a simplified take on Yotam Ottolenghi’s recipe for lamb meatballs. It’s a versatile dish to serve: you can wrap them in Grilled Flatbread, serve them with couscous, a salad of parsley and cucumbers drizzled with olive oil and lemon, and Hummus for dunking. For optimal flavor it is important to chop all the ingredients very finely.
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground lamb
- 2 scallions (white and green parts), minced
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons finely minced fresh mint
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- Fine sea salt
- Extra-virgin olive oil
How to Make It
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the lamb, scallions, parsley, cilantro, mint, garlic, cumin, coriander, and a large pinch of salt. Use your hands to mix the ingredients and evenly distribute the seasonings throughout the meat.
- Form the mixture into 1 ½-inch balls using your hands. Set aside on the prepared baking sheets.
- Place a large sauté pan over medium heat and pour in enough oil to cover the bottom. When the oil begins to shimmer, gently place the meatballs in a single layer—you’ll need to do this in batches. Note that for meat to sear, the oil must be hot enough; it should sizzle when you place the lamb balls in the pan. Do not crowd the pan, as this will lower the oil temperature and create too much moisture, thus steaming rather than searing the meatballs.
- Let the balls sear for 2 to 3 minutes, then rotate them until they are browned all over. Use a spoon or tongs to remove them from the pan and place back on the baking sheets.
- When all the balls have seared, bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
