Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Beautifully Bouncy Lamb Meatballs

Time is short and the work list is long as we get ready to head up to Sonoma for the Dry Creek Passport event (you can read more about it in last year's post), but I squeezed out enough time to finish this lamb meatball video recipe.

It tasted great, but I put in way too much breadcrumb, and as you'll see the results were extremely bouncy balls. The ingredient amounts below are the new and improved quantities in case you want to try these.

Speaking of being busy, I'll apologize in advance for blowing off your emails and/or comments until this event is over on Monday. I'll try to keep up, but if you are ignored, try again next week when things return to normal. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
1 1/4 pound ground lamb
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 tbsp chopped rosemary
3 cloves minced garlic
1 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp olive oil
pinch of cayenne
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp chopped mint
3 cups tomato sauce
1 cup chicken stock
red pepper flakes


View the complete recipe

23 comments:

CollegeGourmet said...

Did they taste different? Or was the only problem that they bounced around?
They looked pretty good to me.

Chef John said...

they tasted fine, but a little bready

Jesse from Detroit said...

Besides the humor - love the 'boing' sound fx - I really enjoy watching these videos because Chef John explains why he adds ingredients. ("...tomato paste for a little acidity...") It inspires creativity in my own kitchen!

Scott - Boston said...

Testicular Cancer Awareness Week is the first week of April. Juuuust missed it by a couple of weeks, Chef... maybe next year.

Next week, however, is the start of National Lemon Couscous Awareness Week, so it looks like you're pretty well set to redeem yourself.

Scott - Boston

Asian Malaysian said...

Actually in chinese cooking, a springy bounce in a meatball is considered a good thing. Ah well, blokes and their strokes. I take it the idea of mixing the milk and the bread crumbs first is so you dont have to let your balls rest and evenly rehydrate in the fridge? Will the same trick work for your crab cake recipe?

Chef John said...

may work for crab cake, but i havent tried

Pyrofish said...

That was great, I love the bounce. Classic!

Your site has been killing me lately... I'm a very strict diet, and can't eat, well anything you cook :( A few more months to go, and I'll be back to trying Chef John specials.

Anonymous said...

Hey Chef, you had me LOL with the bouncy meatball. As you talked about the bouncy part it reminded me of this slightly funny video I saw a few weeks ago. Maybe you can use the tune for future bouncy meatballs. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPCUlpC_l84

But if it tastes good why worry if it bounces a bit? Unless it was like a spounge or balloon and chewy, it shouldn't matter hugely, because who is going to know if it bounces unless someone deliberately drops it to test? Its all about the taste first, no?

BTW--I have been inspired by your last vid with the BLT to try and find a recipe to make my own english muffins for breakfasts. Wish me luck on my testing!

-c

Chef John said...

scott, somewhere in a few years ill read about National Lemon Couscous Awareness Week and know who's responsible!

milkshake said...

its not just the acidity - tomato paste is a great flavor flavor enhancer because it is high in glutamate.

missy said...

"hey we lost the house...what's for dinner..." YOU KILL ME!! LOL!

Sheldon said...

ok i tried this recipe and instead of going all lamb I took 50% of lamb and 50% pork that way it came out cheaper. I also adding minced onions to the mixture that gave me more meatballs. The one mistake I made was adding too much lemon juice which made it a little runny but in the end it worked out awesome.
thanks john :)

Unknown said...

Hi Chef John

This looks yummy. Will it work with pork mince? I don't eat lamb

Thanks
Yvonne

Summer said...

bouncy meatballs!! that was kinda funny with the sound effect..other than that, the recipe is nice and seems full of flavors...gotta try it sometime. thanks for sharing.

Chef John said...

yes, pork is good.

Anonymous said...

Dear Chef John,

First I would like to give you a huge thanks for the time and effort you have put into your cooking videos. Your recipes have enriched my life. I used to not cook, now I have a passion for cooking. It is such a great stress reliever if one is organized and doesn't try to rush things.

I'm really excited to make the lamb meatballs but I'm waiting with great anticipation for your couscous recipe. Any idea about when you will post it?

Thanks much

Travis said...

Chef, you're killing me... I love cous cous... please indulge us with the lemon cous cous recipe! :-D

Anonymous said...

*Prays for lemon cous cous receipe* :-)

Unknown said...

I made these tonight, and everyone at my party loved them! Thanks.

gmedz said...

Hi..do you know about indonesian meatballs? everyone eats meatballs and they're supposed to be very bouncy (lot of tapioca starch)...so it's not really a big deal...your cooking video is always mouthwatering...

Rich Stillwell said...

Made these again this weekend...so yummy. Thanks Chef John!
http://thesnackbowl.blogspot.com/2012/01/mediterranean-lamb-meatballs-with-cous.html

Donna B. said...

Chef John,
I only particpated as a bystander most of my life when my mother cooked... and have lived to regret it to this day. We came from an armenian backround and she made dolma, and choreg, and string bean cassarole and so many other wonderful things I miss terribly, as I do her. I finally had the courage to try to do more in the kitchen, even without her recipes, and found your site. The lamb recipes are wonderful and your stuffed green peppers made me very proud...it was as if my mom was there.....I can't thank you enough for your humor and easy going instruction; you make all feel welcome in the culinary world with your talent for human connection, and I am inspired and emboldened to bring my past back to life! So many other cooking sites aren't really about the food. The chefs are too busy entertaining other people or talking philosophy. Its a sterile atmosophere. You draw your audience in close and we want to be one with the experience. It's just magic. You're magic. Keep doing what you're doing. Thanks so much. Donna

Chef John said...

Thank you!!