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shakshuka meatballs with feta and lamb

Shakshuka Lamb Meatballs With Feta

The secret to keeping these Shakshuka Lamb Meatballs light, soft, and moist is thanks to a trick I learned from my Japanese mother! Lamb is spiced with nutmeg, cumin, and allspice, and simmered in tomatoes, garlic, and peppers. Creamy feta adds a salty bite and the fresh green notes from the chopped parsley provide a welcome lift from the rich spices. Similar to Italian eggs in purgatory and Turkish menemen, these Shakshuka Meatballs put a delightful evening spin on a Maghrebi breakfast favorite.
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Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1 lb. ground lamb or beef (no more than 85% lean)
  • ½ cup crumbled soft tofu (see recipe note below)
  • 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
  • ½ onion, roughly grated
  • ½ tsp ground allspice
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • ⅛ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • ¼ cup finely chopped parsley

Shakshuka Base

  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
  • 1 small onion, roughly chopped
  • 4 fat cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 28oz. can whole peeled tomatoes in juice
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp turmeric

To Serve

  • 6 oz crumbled feta cheese, optional
  • Chopped fresh cilantro, optional

Instructions

Meatballs

  • In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and onion together over medium-high heat until the onion begins to sizzle gently. *Sweat the onion until soft, about 5 minutes.
  • Add the allspice, cumin, nutmeg, and salt, and bring the heat down to medium. Stir to combine and fry gently for another minute or so until spices are fragrant. Remove from heat and cool for 10 minutes.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the lamb, crumbled tofu, spiced onions, egg, and parsley. Bash the meat against the side of the bowl to really work the ingredients in. The desired texture should be smooth and evenly mixed. Alternatively, you can use a food processor to speed things up.
  • Lightly oil your hands and begin rolling the meatballs. Take a small amount of the lamb mixture (about 2 tablespoons) and roll between your hands to form a ball. Repeat until all the mixture is used.
  • Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a deep saucepan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  • Carefully add the meatballs and fry until add sides are browned. Shake the pan occasionally to roll the meatballs and get an even browning. Remove from heat and set aside. NOTE: The meatballs do not have to be fully cooked! They will finish cooking in the shakshuka sauce.

Shakshuka Base

  • Heat the olive oil in a large deep saucepan until shimmering (I just use the same pan I fried the meatballs in). Add the onion and bell pepper and fry for 5 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and fry for another 1-2 minutes.
  • Add in the tomato paste and fry for 3 minutes until the color changes to a deep red (this concentrates the tomato flavor).
  • Add the spices and salt to the pan. Crush the tomatoes with your hands and add them and their juice to the pan. Stir to combine.
  • Optional Step: you can blend the tomato sauce in a blender for a smoother texture, or you can leave it chunky. I like to blend half of the sauce and add it to the remaining mixture.
  • Arrange the meatballs into the sauce and cover with a tight-fitting lid. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep the meatballs moist.
  • Remove from heat and top with the feta and chopped cilantro. Serve with bread, rice, or couscous. Enjoy!

Notes

*Sweating is a cooking technique where aromatics (onion, garlic, carrots, celery, etc.) are brought up to heat along with the fat (oil, butter, etc,) at the same time. It is used when the gentler flavors are desired from the ingredients. 
 
*To make crumbled tofu, drain a block of silken tofu and wrap the block in a paper towel. Set it on a plate and place another plate on top of the tofu. Add something heavy, like a book. Leave to "press" the tofu for about 30 minutes. Once pressed, crumble the tofu with your hands or pulse it in a food processor. The texture should look like wet breadcrumbs.