Middle Eastern Spiced Lamb Meatballs

Mmmmm…lamb…my favorite specimen of the meat group (as I mentioned recently). I thought the ground protein would be a good canvas for me to play around with some of my more recently acquired spices. A little turmeric here, a little allspice there, and some feta cheese to add some tang. These aren’t your standard meatballs for sure, but boy are they delicious. It’s pictured with some leftovers from our culinary school buffet—I believe it was a Moroccan vegetable tagine with peppers, onions, okra, and a bunch of different herbs and spices. You could also serve it atop a bed of couscous as another meal option. I made this recipe for an Oscars party a while back and they were a hit!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ground lamb
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup feta cheese
• salt
• pepper
• red pepper flakes
• turmeric
• allspice
• oregano
• garlic powder

1. Add meat, eggs, bread crumbs, and cheese to a bowl. Season with the spices listed above. Mix together well (your hands are great tools for this task).
2. Cook off a test patty in a sauté pan to check the seasoning. Make any adjustments as you see fit. Once you are satisfied with the flavor of your meat mixture, start forming into balls.
3. I cooked this batch in a sauté pan on the stove top in some vegetable oil. They can also be baked in the oven at about 375-400˚F for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of your balls.