**Lamb meatballs, a delectable delicacy known as boulettes d'agneau, are a testament to the culinary artistry of French cuisine. These tender and flavorful orbs of minced lamb, expertly seasoned and browned to perfection, are often braised in a rich and aromatic sauce, creating a dish that is both comforting and elegant. This article presents a collection of lamb meatball recipes, each with its own unique twist on this classic dish.**
**The first recipe, "Classic French Lamb Meatballs," provides a straightforward approach to this timeless dish. Ground lamb is combined with a blend of aromatic herbs and spices, then formed into meatballs and browned in a skillet. The meatballs are then braised in a combination of white wine, chicken broth, and tomato sauce, resulting in a savory and succulent dish.**
**The second recipe, "Moroccan Lamb Meatballs with Spiced Tomato Sauce," introduces a vibrant North African flair to the classic dish. Lamb meatballs are seasoned with a blend of Moroccan spices, including cumin, coriander, and paprika, and then simmered in a flavorful tomato sauce infused with ginger, garlic, and cinnamon. The result is a dish that is both exotic and comforting.**
**The third recipe, "Lamb Meatballs with Creamy Mushroom Sauce," offers a rich and decadent take on lamb meatballs. Ground lamb is combined with bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and herbs, then formed into meatballs and browned in a skillet. The meatballs are then simmered in a creamy mushroom sauce made with white wine, heavy cream, and sautéed mushrooms. This dish is sure to please even the most discerning palate.**
**Whether you prefer the classic French preparation, the vibrant Moroccan flavors, or the indulgent creamy mushroom sauce, these lamb meatball recipes offer a delightful culinary journey that showcases the versatility and appeal of this timeless dish.**
NORTH AFRICAN MEATBALLS (BOULETTES)
In France, meatballs are called boulettes (sounds better than meatballs), and by far the favorite versions are the spice-scented North African type. Most of the neighborhood Tunisian and Moroccan restaurants in Paris offer them, served as an appetizer or a side, or in a fragrant main-course tagine with couscous. In Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, former French colonies, that's what they're called, too, at least on tourist menus; they also go by numerous other names in local languages. Jewish communities in those countries traditionally serve boulettes on Friday night for the Sabbath meal. Assorted sweet spices, along with chopped cilantro and parsley, are added to minced lamb or goat, then formed into delicate little balls. Simmered in a saffron-scented broth, they are usually accompanied by stewed seasonal vegetables.
Provided by JackieOhNo
Categories Lamb/Sheep
Time 1h15m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 33
Steps:
- Make the sauce: Heat oil over medium-high heat in a wide, heavy bottomed saucepan. Add onion and cook without browning until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, cinnamon and saffron, and stir well to incorporate. Season generously with salt and pepper, and allow to sizzle for 1 minute more. Add broth and simmer gently for 5 minutes. May be made several hours in advance, up to a day.
- Make the meatballs: Put bread cubes and milk in a small bowl. Leave bread to soak until softened, about 5 minutes, then squeeze dry.
- In a mixing bowl, put squeezed-out bread, ground meat and egg. Add salt, pepper, garlic, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric, paprika, cayenne, cloves, coriander and cumin. Mix well with hands to distribute seasoning. Add 2 tablespoons each of parsley, cilantro and scallion, and knead for a minute. May be prepared several hours in advance, up to a day.
- With hands, roll mixture into small round balls about the size of a quarter. Dust balls lightly with flour. Heat a few tablespoons of oil, or a quarter-inch depth, over medium-high heat and fry meatballs until barely browned, about 2 minutes per side. Drain and blot on paper towel. Simmer meatballs in saffron-tomato sauce, covered, over medium heat for about 20 minutes, until tender. Meanwhile, make the couscous, if desired: Cook according to package directions, fluff gently and stir in butter and raisins. Season with salt and cinnamon, and toss well.
- Garnish meatballs with remaining parsley, cilantro and scallion. Serve with couscous and roasted tomatoes if desired.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 753.8, Fat 35.4, SaturatedFat 13.6, Cholesterol 147.4, Sodium 1478.8, Carbohydrate 71.3, Fiber 5.9, Sugar 15.9, Protein 37.7
LAMB MEATBALLS WITH SPICED TOMATO SAUCE
Here is a recipe from the Los Angeles chef Suzanne Goin that plays to children as well as to the most sophisticated of palates. It is for crisp lamb meatballs cooked through in a fragrant, vaguely North African sauce of tomato sauce zipped up with orange juice and warm spices, then topped with feta and mint. Ms. Goin first served the dish at one of her Los Angeles restaurants, and put it into ''The A.O.C. Cookbook'' (2013), devoted to that restaurant's food. A version of the dish was later introduced to the menu of her children's school. It can be cooked in an hour's time, not all of it busy, and served with pita or plain pasta, bulgur or couscous.
Provided by Sam Sifton
Categories brunch, dinner, lunch, weekday, sauces and gravies, appetizer, main course
Time 1h
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 27
Steps:
- Preheat broiler. In a large bowl, mix together the onion, cream, egg yolks, cinnamon, cumin, red pepper and cayenne. Put the lamb in the bowl, and season it aggressively with salt and pepper. Add the bread crumbs and parsley, and combine the mixture well. Shape the meat into balls that are a little larger than golf balls.
- Grease a baking pan with olive oil, and put the meatballs onto it, spaced evenly. Place beneath the broiler, and cook, turning once or twice, until the meatballs are well browned, approximately 5 to 7 minutes, then set meatballs aside. Turn oven to 400.
- Meanwhile, make the sauce. Pass the tomatoes through a food mill, or whizz them quickly in a food processor. Heat a saucepan over medium-high heat for a minute, then add olive oil, rosemary and red pepper and shake to combine. Cook for another minute, then add onion, thyme, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne and bay leaf and sauté until the onions are translucent, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. Add tomatoes, sugar, orange juice and peel, along with salt and pepper.
- Cook for 8 to 10 minutes over medium-low heat, until reduced by a third. Adjust seasoning.
- Pour the tomato sauce into a large baking dish that you can put on the table. Transfer the meatballs to the sauce, putting them about ½ inch from each other. Bake for 15 or 20 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the meatballs are cooked through.
- Top with crumbled feta and scattered mint.
NORTH AFRICAN MEATBALLS
In France, meatballs are called boulettes, and by far the favorite versions are the spice-scented North African type. Most of the neighborhood Tunisian and Moroccan restaurants in Paris offer them, served as an appetizer or a side, or in a fragrant main-course tagine with couscous. This recipe is an amalgam of several that I found on my bookshelf, among them one called boulettes tangéroises in an old French cookbook. Since I like things a bit spicier, my boulettes are more like Tunisian ones, in which hot pepper is more assertive.
Provided by David Tanis
Categories dinner, main course
Time 1h15m
Yield 4 to 6 servings, about 36 meatballs
Number Of Ingredients 33
Steps:
- Make the sauce: Heat oil over medium-high heat in a wide, heavy bottomed saucepan. Add onion and cook without browning until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, cinnamon and saffron, and stir well to incorporate. Season generously with salt and pepper, and allow to sizzle for 1 minute more. Add broth and simmer gently for 5 minutes. May be made several hours in advance, up to a day.
- Make the meatballs: Put bread cubes and milk in a small bowl. Leave bread to soak until softened, about 5 minutes, then squeeze dry.
- In a mixing bowl, put squeezed-out bread, ground meat and egg. Add salt, pepper, garlic, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric, paprika, cayenne, cloves, coriander and cumin. Mix well with hands to distribute seasoning. Add 2 tablespoons each of parsley, cilantro and scallion, and knead for a minute. May be prepared several hours in advance, up to a day.
- With hands, roll mixture into small round balls about the size of a quarter. Dust balls lightly with flour. Heat a few tablespoons of oil, or a quarter-inch depth, over medium-high heat and fry meatballs until barely browned, about 2 minutes per side. Drain and blot on paper towel. Simmer meatballs in saffron-tomato sauce, covered, over medium heat for about 20 minutes, until tender.
- Meanwhile, make the couscous, if desired: Cook according to package directions, fluff gently and stir in butter and raisins. Season with salt and cinnamon, and toss well.
- Garnish meatballs with remaining parsley, cilantro and scallion. Serve with couscous and roasted tomatoes if desired.
LAMB MEATBALLS AND SAUCE
These baked, ground lamb meatballs are a quite flavorful alternative to traditional meatballs.
Provided by Chef John
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Lamb Ground
Time 1h50m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 18
Steps:
- Preheat an oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; oil lightly.
- Combine bread crumbs and milk in a small bowl. Soak bread crumbs until milk is absorbed, about 30 minutes.
- Combine bread crumb mixture, lamb, egg, garlic, olive oil, tomato paste, rosemary, cumin, salt, oregano, black pepper, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
- Form lamb mixture into 2-inch meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Cook meatballs in the preheated oven until they are slightly browned, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Combine meatballs, tomato sauce, chicken stock, fresh mint, and red pepper flakes in a large sauce pan over medium heat until meatballs are no longer pink inside, about 45 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 610.3 calories, Carbohydrate 24.4 g, Cholesterol 153.8 mg, Fat 43.5 g, Fiber 4 g, Protein 31.3 g, SaturatedFat 16.4 g, Sodium 2322.9 mg, Sugar 10.5 g
Tips:
- Choose the right lamb: Use ground lamb with a fat content of at least 20% for juicy and flavorful meatballs.
- Season generously: Don't be shy with the spices and herbs. A good blend of cumin, coriander, paprika, mint, and garlic will give your meatballs plenty of flavor.
- Handle the meatball mixture gently: Overworking the mixture will make the meatballs tough. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Form the meatballs evenly: Use a small cookie scoop or your hands to form the meatballs into uniform sizes. This will help them cook evenly.
- Brown the meatballs before simmering: Browning the meatballs in a pan before adding them to the sauce will give them a nice crust and help lock in the flavor.
- Simmer the meatballs in a flavorful sauce: A good sauce will add moisture and flavor to the meatballs. Try a tomato-based sauce, a yogurt-based sauce, or a mint-cilantro sauce.
- Serve the meatballs hot: Lamb meatballs are best served hot, right out of the pan or sauce. They can be served as an appetizer, main course, or side dish.
Conclusion:
Lamb meatballs, or boulettes d'agneau, are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed in many different ways. With their tender texture, juicy flavor, and aromatic spices, these meatballs are sure to be a hit at your next gathering. So next time you're looking for a new and exciting way to prepare lamb, give these boulettes d'agneau a try. You won't be disappointed.
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