Lamb Meatballs with Gremolata
- Level: Easy
- Total: 2 hr 5 min (includes soaking and refrigeration time)
- Active: 35 min
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Ingredients
Lamb Meatballs:
Three 1-inch slices crusty Italian bread, crust removed and cut into cubes
1/2 cup whole milk
2 small shallots, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons dried currants
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, stemmed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 egg
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground lamb (85 percent lean)
1 cup canola oil
Gremolata:
1 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon plus 1 tablespoon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Directions
- For the lamb meatballs: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the bread in a medium bowl. Pour the milk over the bread and let soak for 10 minutes.
- Combine the shallots and garlic in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the currants, pine nuts and parsley and pulse until finely chopped. Add the cumin, egg, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and pulse until fully incorporated. Add the lamb and the milk-soaked bread, breaking both up into chunks. Pulse until just combined. Scoop out about 1 tablespoon of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Continue with the remaining lamb mixture. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line another baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat the canola oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs and fry on all sides until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and bake until fully cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.
- For the gremolata: Combine the parsley, mint, pine nuts, garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a food processer. Pulse until roughly chopped. While continuing to pulse, add the oil. Season with salt and pepper. Serve on the side with the meatballs.
