Persian Pomegranate And Pistachio Meatball Recipes

PISTACHIO AND POMEGRANATE MEATBALLS (KUFTEH-YE PESTEH-O ANAR)

Steps:

• To make the meatballs: Place all the ingredients, except the ground turkey and egg, in a food processor and pulse until you have a grainy paste. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the turkey and egg. Lightly knead with your hands for a few minutes (do not over-mix). Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 10 minutes or up to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C). Generously oil a wide, non-reactive baking dish, large enough to fit 24 meatballs, (about 12 x 14 in/30 x 35 cm) and set aside.
• Remove the turkey mixture from the fridge and shape into walnut-sized balls (about 1 1/2 tablespoons each, using an ice-cream scoop). Place the meatballs in the baking dish and brush well with oil. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, until bottoms of the meatballs are lightly golden.
• Meanwhile, in another mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the glaze.
• Spoon the glaze over the meatballs and bake for another 5 minutes to infuse them with the flavor of pomegranate.
• Garnish with the pomegranate arils and serve warm with the sauce. These meatballs are perfect for wrapping with sprigs of fresh basil in lavash bread or green lettuce.

PERSIAN-INSPIRED MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine lamb, bread crumbs, scallions, mint, advieh, dill, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add beaten eggs; knead by hand until smooth and sticky. Cover and refrigerate until flavors blend, at least 30 minutes.
• Set an oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Form the lamb mixture into 1-inch balls. Arrange on a rimmed baking sheet. Mist the tops with cooking spray.
• Broil in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet and broil for 3 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 140 degrees F (60 degrees C).
• Brush the meatballs with pomegranate molasses as soon as they come out of the oven.

PERSIAN POMEGRANATE AND PISTACHIO MEATBALL

Steps:

• To make the meatballs: Pulse all the ingredients, except the meat and egg, in a food processor until you have a grainy paste.
• Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the meat and egg. Lightly knead with your hands for a few minutes (do not over mix).
• Cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and up to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 500?F. Generously oil a wide, nonreactive baking dish (wide enough to fit 24 meatballs, about 12x14 inches) and set aside.
• Remove the paste from the refrigerator and shape into bite-sized balls (about 1 1/2 tablespoons each, you can use an ice cream scoop) and place the meatballs in the baking dish and brush well with oil. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients for the glaze. It is important that you taste the glaze and be sure that it has a good balance between sweet and sour-add more honey if the pomegranate molasses you have used is too sour.
• Reduce the oven to 400?F. Glaze the meatballs and bake for another 5 minutes to infuse them with the flavor of the pomegranate. Adjust seasoning to taste. If too sour add more honey; if too sweet add more pomegranate molasses. Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.
• Place the meatballs with its sauce in deep serving dish and garnish.

LAMB MEATBALLS WITH SOUR CHERRIES, POMEGRANATES & PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl and mix them together with your hands, really pummelling the meat so that the spices and seasoning get well mixed in. Using wet hands, form the meat into 24 balls just a little bigger than a walnut.
• As you form these, put them on to a baking sheet or a tray. Cover them and put in the fridge for 45 mins or so to firm up.
• For the sauce, put the cherries and the pomegranate juice in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Take the pan off the heat and leave the cherries to sit in the warm liquid and plump up for 40 mins or so.
• Heat ½ tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and fry the meatballs in batches (they will give off lots of oil when frying). Transfer to a plate as each lot are browned. Remember you aren't cooking these through, just browning them. Gently fry the onion in 1 tbsp oil in a large shallow casserole or deep frying pan until pale gold. Add the garlic and cook for another couple of mins, then add the wine, stock, pomegranate molasses, cinnamon and bay. Add the cherries, too - they should have absorbed nearly all of the pomegranate juice.
• Put the meatballs back in the pan. Bring the sauce to just under boiling, then turn the heat down low, season well, cover the pan and cook for 15 mins. Take the lid off and cook for another 15 mins. You should have a nice sauce around the meatballs, but if it seems too thin, remove the meatballs and reduce the sauce by boiling it, then put the meatballs back in.
• Taste for seasoning - you should consider the sweetness as well as the saltiness - and adjust it if you need to (you could add a teaspoon of honey, or a little more pomegranate molasses). Scatter with the herbs, pistachios and pomegranate seeds to finish.