Moroccan Lamb Meatballs

Here’s an easy dinner from Patricia Wells’s “Provence Cookbook.” In a food processor, combine 1 pound ground lamb, 1 small onion (peeled and finely minced), 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 2 teaspoons sweet paprika, 1/4 cup mint leaves finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper and roll the mixture into 24 meatballs “the size of a walnut.” Then heat 2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil in a skillet until hot and cook the meatballs until they are browned on all sides and cooked in the center. Serve with tzatziki, which you can buy (as I did) or make yourself. That’s it! You’ll feel like you’re in Morocco with Patricia Wells; especially if you make this while in Morocco with Patricia Wells.

Comments

7 responses to “Moroccan Lamb Meatballs”

  1. Gidget Bananas Avatar

    Oooh, yum! I’m trying this one!

  2. Kelly Mahoney Avatar

    I don’t get to eat a lot of lamb, but I’d like to have more.

  3. Julie Avatar

    I love these — we had the caterer make them for one of our wedding parties in May, served with a cumin/lemon/garlic/yogurt dipping sauce. Big, big hit.

  4. sharon Avatar
    sharon

    Adam – Does the food processr pulverize the lamb? Can these be mixed by hand, assuming the onion is very finely chopped?

  5. Veronica Avatar
    Veronica

    Adam, why don’t you eat more Mexican food? I know you live in New York, but that’s no excuse not to whip some up every once in a while. Try Rick Bayless’s cookbooks/programs on PBS for authentic Mexican recipes, or even try some Tex-Mex. Just give us Latinos, or our food anyway (hi Craig!) a little gastronomic love.

  6. Veronica Avatar
    Veronica

    Adam, why don’t you eat more Mexican food? I know you live in New York, but that’s no excuse not to whip some up every once in a while. Try Rick Bayless’s cookbooks/programs on PBS for authentic Mexican recipes, or even try some Tex-Mex. Just give us Latinos, or our food anyway (hi Craig!) a little gastronomic love.

  7. Kitt Avatar

    I just made these (had half a pound of ground lamb I needed to use up, and found this recipe via Google). Sharon, yes, the food processor pulverizes the lamb, so the meatballs come out a little on the mushy side. I will mix by hand next time so the lamb has a more texture.I served these with garlic-sauteed gai lan and pasta. I think I could have added a little lemon zest to the meatballs to zing them up, since I don’t have tzatsiki to dip them in.But they are pretty tasty nevertheless.