SPICED LAMB MEATBALLS WITH WALNUT ROMESCO

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Spiced Lamb Meatballs With Walnut Romesco image

The smoky sauce and mix of spices in this meatball recipe complement lamb perfectly.

Categories     Bon Appétit     Meatball     Lamb     Walnut     Bell Pepper     Tomato     Cilantro     Cumin     Coriander     Paprika     Ground Lamb

Yield Serves 4 as an appetizer

Number Of Ingredients 26

Sauce:
1/2 tablespoon chopped walnuts
1 small red bell pepper, halved, seeds removed
1 medium tomato, cored
1 garlic clove, unpeeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder or chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Meatballs and assembly:
1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 cup (firmly packed) cilantro leaves with tender stems
1 cup (firmly packed) parsley leaves with tender stems
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pound ground lamb
2 tablespoons olive oil
Special Equipment
A spice mill or a mortar and pestle

Steps:

  • Sauce:
  • Preheat oven to 425°F. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Toss bell pepper, tomato, and garlic with oil on a clean rimmed baking sheet and roast until browned and softened, 20-25 minutes. Let cool.
  • Remove skin from bell pepper, tomato, and garlic; discard. Purée walnuts, bell pepper, tomato, garlic, oil, vinegar, chipotle chile powder, parsley, and paprika in a food processor until smooth. Season sauce with salt and black pepper.
  • Meatballs and assembly:
  • Toast coriander seeds in a dry small skillet over medium heat, swirling pan often and adding cumin seeds during the last 30 seconds, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Let cool, then finely grind in spice mill or with mortar and pestle.
  • Pulse onion, cilantro, parsley, and 1 1/2 tsp. salt in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a large kitchen towel. Gather ends of towel in each hand and twist over sink, wringing out as much liquid as possible. Mix onion mixture, spice mixture, egg yolk, paprika, black pepper, cayenne, and remaining 1 tsp. salt in a large bowl to combine. Gently fold lamb into spice mixture to evenly distribute (be careful not to overmix). Using a 1-oz. ice cream scoop or wet hands, form meat mixture into 1 1/2" balls (you should have 16).
  • Heat oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until browned all over and cooked through, 5-8 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve with walnut romesco sauce.

Nirmala Karki
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I highly recommend this recipe. It's a great way to enjoy lamb in a new and delicious way.


Arooj Ali
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These meatballs are the perfect appetizer or main course. They're also great for a party.


Grejeb EFOLOKO
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I've made these meatballs several times now and they're always a hit. They're so easy to make and they're always delicious.


Elliott Davis
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I made these meatballs for a party and they were a huge hit. Everyone loved them!


Adhika Nair
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These meatballs were a great way to use up leftover lamb. I had some leftover from a roast lamb dinner and these were a great way to use it up.


Fazi khan
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I served these meatballs with a side of tzatziki sauce and it was a perfect combination.


David Ndichu
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I used panko breadcrumbs instead of regular breadcrumbs and they worked just fine.


Chris Hall
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I had some trouble finding ground lamb at my local grocery store, but I was able to find it at a specialty butcher shop.


Zainy Jarral
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These meatballs were a bit too spicy for my taste, but my husband loved them. I think next time I'll use less cayenne pepper.


Brenda Blair
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I'm not a huge fan of lamb, but these meatballs were surprisingly good. The spices really helped to balance out the flavor of the lamb.


Raymond Chavez (Dog4life44)
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These meatballs were easy to make and absolutely delicious. I served them over rice and they were a big hit with my family.


Shihab FF Gming BD 71
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I love the unique flavor of these meatballs. The walnuts in the romesco sauce add a nice crunch and the spices give them a bit of a kick.


katlego knox
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I followed the recipe exactly and the meatballs turned out perfectly. They were moist and flavorful, and the romesco sauce was a great complement.


Mad Plays
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These meatballs were a hit at my dinner party! The combination of spices and the walnut romesco was divine. I will definitely be making these again.