Lamb Meatballs With Creamy Polenta Food

THE ULTIMATE MEATBALLS AL FORNO WITH CREAMY POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Break the baguette in pieces and soak in a bowl with milk for 10 minutes until the bread is soft. In a second bowl mix the beef and pork together. Twist up half the parsley and the basil into a little pile, roughly chop it and add to the meat. Add garlic and mix thoroughly with your hands. Squeeze the milk out of the bread and add it in small pieces. Add eggs, Parmesan, ground pinenuts, salt, and pepper and mix everything together thoroughly. Shape the meatballs into large patties then roll them in the bread crumbs.
• In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium high heat until it begins to smoke slightly. Fry the meatballs to seal the crust, flip them over so both sides are done. Transfer to a large baking dish.
• Add a splash of oil to pan and fry the mushrooms on a low heat until they start to caramelize. Cut the tomatoes in 1/2 and hand-crush them into a separate bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Add salt and a few cranks of fresh cracked pepper and mix. Add to the mushrooms. Let everything simmer together and reduce slightly for about 10 minutes. Pour the tomatoes and mushrooms over the meatballs. Shred the remaining basil and parsley and the mozzarella over it. Drizzle with olive oil and add a few cranks of pepper. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes.
• Serve with Creamy Polenta.
• In a large saucepan bring the chicken stock to a slow simmer. Quickly whisk the cornmeal into the stock and lower the temperature to keep it from splattering. Stir in the cream, Parmesan, butter, and salt. Turn off the heat and keep in a warm place until the meatballs are ready.
• Yield: 6 servings
• Cooking Time: 15 minutes

LAMB MEATBALLS WITH CREAMY POLENTA

Steps:

• Mix meat, bread crumbs, eggs, dry seasonings and 1/4 cup cheese just until blended. Roll into 24 (1-inch) meatballs. Refrigerate 1 hour.
• Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add half the meatballs; cook 8 to 10 min. or evenly browned, turning occasionally. Use slotted spoon to remove meatballs from skillet. Repeat with remaining meatballs. Discard any oil remaining in skillet.
• Return all meatballs to skillet. Add pasta sauce; stir. Cover; simmer on medium-low heat 30 min. or until meatballs are done (160ºF), stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, bring water to boil in medium saucepan. Slowly add polenta, stirring constantly with whisk. Cover; cook on low heat 30 min. or until polenta thickens and pulls away from side of pan, stirring frequently. Remove pan from heat. Add butter and remaining cheese; stir until butter is melted and mixture is well blended.
• Serve meatballs and sauce with the polenta.

LAMB MEATBALLS WITH GREMOLATA

Steps:

• 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.

ROASTED LAMB MEATBALLS WITH RED SAUCE AND POLENTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°.
• In a bowl, moisten the bread with 1/3 cup chicken broth. Add the lamb, egg, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
• Form the mixture into 8 meatballs. Brush with oil and set 2 inches apart on a rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the vinegar and cook it off, 1 minute. Stir in 2/3 cup chicken broth, then the tomatoes. Bring the sauce just to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
• In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining 2 cups chicken broth and the milk to a boil. Whisk in the polenta, lower the heat and cook, whisking, until the polenta is thick but spoonable, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir in the honey, butter, rosemary and salt and pepper to taste. If it gets too thick, add water or more milk.
• Spoon the polenta evenly into 4 bowls; top with the 2 meatballs and sauce.

LEMONY LAMB MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Put the breadcrumbs in a bowl and add the milk. Leave for 5 mins, or until the milk has been absorbed. Add the lamb, lemon zest, garlic, spices, coriander stalks and plenty of seasoning. Mix everything well with your hands, then shape into meatballs, it should make about 30. Cover and chill the meatballs for at least 30 mins, or up to 24 hrs.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan, or two smaller ones. Cook the meatballs for 8-10 mins, rolling them around the pan until nicely browned on all sides and cooked through. To serve, arrange the meatballs on a platter. If the yogurt is quite thick, add a drop of water or lemon juice. Drizzle it over the meatballs, then scatter the pomegranate seeds and coriander leaves on top.