crystal palace food market

Moroccan Meatballs

Moroccan Meatballs
Yields 12
A delicious marriage of Jacob's Ladder's amazing minced lamb, spices which you can get a plenty from Planta on Westow Hill and the Grain Grocer's amazing new selection of store cupboard goodies.
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Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
30 min
Prep Time
15 min
Cook Time
30 min
Ingredients
  1. 500g lamb mince from Jacob's Ladder
  2. Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  3. 75g dried apricots, finely chopped from the Grain Grocer
  4. A good gloss of olive oil
  5. 1 large or 2 smaller onions, finely diced from Perry Court or Wild Country
  6. 1 tbsp. cumin seeds spices available in Planta on Westow Hill
  7. 1 tsp ground coriander
  8. 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  9. 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  10. A good pinch chilli powder (more or less, to taste)
  11. 2 tbsp. pinenuts, toasted (optional) from the Grain Grocer
  12. A large handful of fresh mint and/or parsley, finely chopped from Perry Court or Wild Country
Instructions
  1. Tumble the mince in a large bowl with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Mix well. Set aside. (Add the salt at this stage helps bind the meat - a Heston Blumenthal trick.)
  2. Pop the apricots in a tea cup of heat proof dish. Cover with boiling water, enough to just cover.
  3. Get a large frying pan hot. Add a gloss of oil. Tumble in your onions. Add a pinch of salt. Sizzle over medium-low heat until the onions are soft, tender and glossy. Swirl it the spices. Drain the apricots, discarding the liquid (or use to make porridge the next day). Fold the drained apricots and toasted pinenuts (if using) in with the onions and spice. Take off the heat.
  4. Let the spicy onions and apricots cool a little before mixing through the meat. Fold the herbs into the mix, too. Get a large, clean frying pan hot. Add a gloss of oil. Fry a mini tester hunk of meat to see if the spicing is to your liking. Adjust seasoning as needed.
  5. Divide the mix into golf-ball (or slightly smaller) meatballs; it should make 12-15. Fry in a shallow gloss of oil until golden on all sides. Pop a lid on the pan and cook a further 10 minutes to cook them through, or pop into a 350C/Gas 4 oven for 15 mins.
  6. Roll the meatballs through the oil to gloss before serving. Delicious with warm pitas, a big salad and houmous or yogurt with a swirl of harissa through it.
Crystal Palace Food Market https://www.crystalpalacefoodmarket.co.uk/