Lamb Meatballs With Mint Recipes

EASY LAMB MEATBALLS WITH MINT AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Remove mint leaves from stems and finely chop. Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic clove and set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ground lamb (or lamb and beef) with the egg, breadcrumbs, and the chopped mint. Season with salt and pepper. Using your hands, form the lamb mixture into balls, about one-inch in size (2.5 cm).
• Pour the olive oil in a large frying pan, and heat on medium to medium-high heat. Oil should be 1/4 to 1/2-inch in depth. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs and fry, turning over to cook on both sides. This will take 8 to 10 minutes Remove meatballs from pan and allow to drain on a paper towel.
• Using the same frying pan where meatballs were fried, pour off excess oil, leaving a few tablespoons in the bottom of the pan. Add the chopped onion and garlic to the pan, and cook over moderate heat until the onion is translucent about 8 minutes. Add the wine and beef broth. Return the meatballs to the pan. Pour in the tomato sauce. Adjust salt to taste. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Remove the pan from heat and allow the meatballs to sit for 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm with baguette slices.

LAMB MEATBALLS WITH MINT

Steps:

• Prepare sauce: In an ovenproof pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm oil. Add onions and sauté until soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute longer. Stir in tomatoes and salt and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer sauce, occasionally mashing tomatoes against side of pot with a wooden spoon, until they break down and sauce thickens, about 25 minutes. Let cool slightly.
• Pass sauce through coarsest disc of a food mill, or purée it until smooth in a food processor or blender. Return sauce to pot.
• Prepare meatballs: Soak baguette in enough water to cover until soft and falling apart. Squeeze dry. In a very large skillet over medium heat, warm 3 tablespoons oil. Add onions and sauté until translucent but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add garlic, stir well, and turn off heat. Let cool.
• Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, combine lamb, pork, cheese, parsley, mint, pepper, salt, red pepper flakes, onion mixture and bread. Using your hands, mix well. Form mixture into 1 3/4-inch meatballs.
• Add remaining oil to pan, and warm it over medium-high heat. Fry meatballs, turning on all sides, until well browned. Transfer meatballs to platters lined with paper towels.
• Add wine to skillet, and let it simmer for a few minutes, scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Pour wine into tomato sauce and add meatballs. Cover pot and bake for 30 minutes.
• Just before serving, heat broiler. Brush baguette slices with olive oil. Toast them under broiler until golden around edges, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Serve meatballs with sauce, crostini and extra cheese.

LAMB MEATBALLS WITH FETA, LEMON AND MINT RECIPE - (4.1/5)

Steps:

• Make meatballs: In a large bowl, combine all meatball ingredients except oil. I like to do this with a fork. Using wet hands, form mixture into small (1 1/2 to 2-inch diameter) meatballs; I have taken to using a large (just shy of 3 tablespoon) cookie scoop for easy sizing. Brown meatballs: Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and heat it through. Evenly space meatballs in pan and very carefully turn and roll them so that all sides become brown. Don't worry if they don't remain perfectly round; mine never do. Don't worry if some pieces become stuck to the pan; they will deliciously infuse the sauce in a minute. Drain meatballs on a paper towel-lined plate. [If you prefer not to fry your meatballs before cooking them in the sauce, you can cook them right in the sauce -- it will take about 10 minutes longer.] Make sauce and finish cooking meatballs: Pour out all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet and return to medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add wine or vermouth and scrape up any bits stuck to the pan. Cook until the liquid almost disappears. Add tomatoes, oregano, lemon zest, salt, pepper flakes, olives (if you're using them now), mint and parsley. Bring mixture to a simmer and return meatballs to the pan. Cover with a lid and cook at the lowest simmer for 20 to 24 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. Squeeze lemon juice over meatballs and sauce. Serve: Sprinkled with additional olives, feta and herbs. We had this with orzo and a Greek salad.