Moroccan Meatball And Lentil Bake With Company Food

BEST MOROCCAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Make the shaved carrot salad first. Using a peeler, go ahead and peel the carrots into ribbons (or you can slice the carrots very thin sticks.) Place carrots and the remaining carrot salad ingredients into a bowl. Toss by hand to combine. Set aside or in the fridge for now.
• If making other fresh sides to serve along, prepare those as well and save in the fridge. Toss the cherry tomatoes and onions with a little olive oil and lemon juice, if you like, and season with salt and pepper. Save in the fridge.
• If using, prepare Tzatziki sauce per this recipe; plain Greek yogurt is fine too. Save in fridge for later.
• Prepare meatball mixture. Squeeze any liquid out of the bread and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the meat, onions, garlic, cilantro, Ras El Hanout, ground ginger, and cayenne. Sprinkle a generous pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Using clean hands, mix/knead until meat mixture is well combined.
• Divide the meat mixture into small meatballs (mine were about 1 tbsp each). The size here is relative, but they're meant to be small bite-sized meatballs. Arrange the meatballs on a tray and cover. Refrigerate for 30 minutes (if you really don't have the time, you can skip this part. See notes.)
• When you're ready, heat a cast iron skillet (or a frying skillet) over medium heat. Drizzle the meatballs with some extra virgin olive oil and cook in your hot skillet over medium heat for about 7 minutes or so, turning occasionally, until cooked through and charred. Do this in batches if needed.
• Serve meatballs hot in pita pockets. Add the carrot salad and other prepared toppings in. Or, leave meatballs in skillet with the shaved carrot salad and other items on the side, let everyone decide how they'd like to enjoy them!

MOROCCAN MEATBALL AND LENTIL BAKE WITH COMPANY!

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4.
• MEATBALLS:.
• Mix the garlic, cumin, coriander and cinnamon, salt & pepper together.
• Break up any lumps in the minced beef and add the spices, finely diced onion and the beaten egg.
• Mix together well, using your hands.
• Shape into balls the size of a walnut - you should get about 32 to 36 meatballs.
• Roll them into the flour and heat up the olive oil in a large frying pan.
• Fry them in batches - do not overcrowd the pan - fry until golden brown, are firm & keeping their shape.
• Put the meatballs to one side.
• LENTILS:.
• Heat up the olive oil in the same frying pan as the meatballs were cooked inches.
• Fry the garlic and onion over a low heat until translucent & golden but not brown.
• Add the spices and then the lentils and stir them around to get a good coating of the oil.
• Add the tinned tomatoes, vegetable stock, cinnamon stick & the dried apricots.
• Give them all a good stir and cook over a low heat for about 2 minutes.
• Pour the lentils into a large ovenproof dish and place the meatballs on top. Scatter the cherry tomatoes around the meatballs.(They look good if kept on the vine).
• Cover and cook for about 1 hr, or until the sauce has thickened.
• Take the cover off for the last 10-15 minutes and allow the meatballs & cherry tomatoes to brown.
• Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.
• Whilst the meatball & lentil bake is cooking, prepare and cook the vegetable accompaniment.
• Take a large wok and heat up the olive oil.
• Add the fennel bulb, onions & carrots and stir well.
• Add the brown sugar, stir well & turn up the heat. Cook the vegetables until they are tinged brown on the edges and the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Turn the heat down and add the vegetable stock, cover the wok and cook for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but still holding their shape.
• Add the orange juice and mix well, cook without a lid for a further 5 minutes.
• Pour into a serving dish & garnish with grated orange zest, fennel seeds and some of the green fronds from the fennel.
• Serve alongside the meatball and lentil bake.
• Garnish the meatball & lentil bake with some of the green fronds from the fennel bulbs.
• Flatbreads, rice or couscous would also be good accompaniments, if needed, for this meal.

MOROCCAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• In a small nonstick frypan, heat oil over medium heat.
• Saute onion and garlic for 3 minutes or until browned.
• In a medium bowl, combine ground lamb, couscous, egg, parsley, turmeric, cinnamon and ginger.
• Add sauteed onion and garlic.
• Mix well, form into 1 and 1/2 inch meatballs.
• Place on a prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, turning after 15 minutes, until browned on all sides and no longer pink.

MOROCCAN MEATBALLS IN TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Make Meatballs: Place lamb in a large bowl. Measure in 1 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp cumin, half the chopped parsley, and 1 tsp salt. Mix to incorporate seasonings through meat. Roll meat into 1 inch balls and set aside.
• Make the Sauce: Turn on food processor and drop garlic through feed tube. Let machine run until garlic is chopped, then stop. Remove lid and scrape down sides of the bowl. Add teh drained toamtoes, olive oil, tomato paste, and onion. Add remaining 1 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp salt, and remaining parsley. Process until nearly smooth. Scrape into a pan or deep skillet that is 10 inches across. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook 2-4 minutes and then remove from heat.
• Nestle meatballs into sauce in a single layer. Swirl pan gently to ensure that meatballs are covered with sauce. Set over medium heat with lid slightly ajar and cook 10-12 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. Taste and add more salt if necessary. If sauce is very thick, add a bit of water. Serve.

MOROCCAN MEATBALLS IN SPICY SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the first 9 ingredients in a large bowl. Shape into 30 meatballs.
• Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Add half of the meatballs to the pan, cook 3 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently.
• Place browned meatballs in a slow cooker, and brown the remaining meatballs.
• Combine the tomato paste and next 7 ingredients. Add to the slow cooker with the remaining meatballs. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours.
• Serve over couscous if desired.