Spiced Lamb Meatballs

lamb side dinner meat ground lamb spice winter pan-fry chile pepper bon appétit sugar conscious kidney friendly wheat/gluten-free peanut free tree nut free soy free no sugar added

Jim Lahey

Makes about 30 meatballs

Source

Ingredients

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 whole 2" dried chipotle chile or 2 teaspoons ground chipotle chiles

1 small (2 1/2"-3"-diameter) potato, peeled

1 pound ground lamb

1 tablespoon (heaping) minced scallion (white part only)

1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated Pecorino

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon finely grated peeled ginger

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Ingredient info: Chipotle chiles (dried, smoked jalapeños) are available at specialty foods stores and Latin markets.

A spice mill

Method

Preheat broiler. Stir first 3 ingredients in a small dry skillet over medium heat until aromatic and slightly darker in color, about 2 minutes. Let cool; transfer to spice mill. Place chile on a baking sheet and broil, watching closely to prevent burning, just until it begins to puff up, about 1 minute. Cut chile in half; discard seeds and stem. Add chile (or ground chipotle chiles) to spice mill with toasted seeds; finely grind together.

Meanwhile, place potato in a small saucepan; add cold water to cover. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Finely grate potato into a large bowl.

Add chile mixture, ground lamb, and next 4 ingredients to bowl; mix with your hands until well combined. Form mixture into tablespoon-size (1"-diameter) meatballs.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook meatballs, turning occasionally, until golden all over but still pink in center, about 6 minutes (meatballs will finish cooking on pizza).