If you’re planning to attend the “Grand Tasting” at the 2013 Kennebunkport Food & Wine Festival on Saturday, June 8, 2013 – or if you were at the Grand Tasting and would like a copy of our recipe for Lamb Meatballs, we present it for you here.
Lamb Meatball Recipe - Kennebunkport Festival "Grand Tasting"
These lamb meatballs provide you with a very versatile protein that makes for both a tasty appetizer or as part of a delicious entree. For the "Grand Tasting," we will be serving the meatballs in homemade steamed buns with cucumber, red onion and the following condiments: eggplant chutney, chimichurri and tzatziki sauce.
Author: Brian & Shanna O’Hea - Academe at The Kennebunk Inn
Cuisine: Mediterranean Inspired
Recipe type: Appetizer or Entree
Serves: 24
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Ingredients
Lamb Meatball
- 1 pound - Lamb, ground
- 1 each - Onion, pureed in food processor
- 2 each -Eggs
- ¼ cup -Parmesan Cheese, freshly grated
- ½ cup -Panko Bread Crumbs
- 2 tablespoons - Greek Oregano, chopped
- 2 tablespoons- Flat Leaf Italian Parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons - Kalamata Olives
- 2 ounces- Greek Feta Cheese
- 2 tablespoons - Roasted Garlic
- 3 tablespoons - Olive Oil
- To Taste - Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
Braising Sauce
- ¼ pound -Bacon, medium dice, render, remove & reserve fat
- 1 each - Onion, small dice
- 1 each - Shallot, small dice
- ¼ cup - Flour, sifted
- 1 tablespoon - Tomato Paste
- 1 tablespoon - Worcestershire Sauce
- 2 tablespoons - Roasted Garlic
- 1 ½ Quart - Veal Stock
- 1 Cup - Demi-Glace
- 1 tablespoon - Rosemary, chopped
- To Taste - Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
Instructions
Braising Sauce Method:
- In heavy bottom sauce pan brown onion and shallot in bacon fat on medium heat.
- Add flour to create a roux, cook for 2 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and roasted garlic and cook for one minute.
- Whisk in veal stock, demi-glace and Worcestershire sauce, let cook for 20 -30 minutes.
- Add fresh rosemary and reserve for meatballs.
Meatball Method:
- Place ground lamb, eggs, pureed onion, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, oregano and parsley in large mixing bowl, reserve.
- In a small food processor place Kalamata olives, feta cheese and roasted garlic. Process and slowly stream in olive oil creating an olive tapenade.
- Add the tapenade to the lamb mixture and mix together with your hands until all incorporated.
- Form 2 inch size meatballs and brown in a mixture of olive oil and bacon fat, add to braising sauce.
- Cook meatballs in sauce for 1 – 1½ hours.
Notes
We'll be pairing this with a Malbec at the Kennebunkport Festival's "Grand Tasting," but the dish will go nicely with Italian Red Wines (Barbera, Barolo, Barbaresco, Brunello di Montalcino & Chianti) or a Pinot Noir, Petite Sirah, Shiraz or Syrah.
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