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| Kartalis family lamb roast |
Every year on Greek Orthodox Easter, you'll find our CEO Mike and COO Jason roasting a whole lamb. Why? It's a Kartalis family tradition. Weston brother-in-law leaders Mike & Jason married into this ritual. And so, each spring, they go to a farm, pick their lamb, and then, together, the family enjoys farm-fresh lamb.
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| Lamb Meatballs in Mole Sauce |
This is not that lamb.
However: these meatballs were made with fresh meat that I bought at the West Side Market.
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| The D.A. Russ stand in Cleveland's West Side Market is the best place to get lamb, goat & bison, short of a farm. |
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| This is all the lamb that's left on a Wednesday afternoon. Luckily, I got what I needed. |
Okay, so are you ready for the recipe now? You sure are!
These meatballs have a rich, spiced flavor, conjuring middle-eastern notes. The mole sauce only intensifies this, and the Cotija cheese on top bundles the flavor into a perfectly rounded experience. Between the lamb, spices, sauce, and cheese, this recipe has no roots in a particular cuisine, it's simply exotic-tasting... and delicious.
Makes four large meatballs
- Ingredients -
Mole-Style Sauce
2 plum tomatoes, stems removed
half of a small yellow onion, quartered
4 oz prunes
¼ cup water
⅛ cup olive oil
1 oz dark chocolate
2 garlic cloves, smashed
½ tablespoon honey
½ tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground anise
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon chili powder
Lamb Meatballs
1 lb lamb, cubed
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
½ teaspoon parsley
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground roasted coriander
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
⅛ smoked paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil, for frying
⅛ cup crumbled Cotija cheese, for sprinkling
- Tools -
crockpot
Weston Manual Kitchen Kit
Weston Meat Grinder
cast-iron skillet
| Mole Sauce |
Place all ingredients into a crockpot on high. After an hour, turn to low and let cook 6-8 hours. Place into a
Weston Manual Kitchen Kit with the chopper attachment inserted and turn the handle until you have a uniform puree.
| Meatballs |
Place lamb and seasonings into a large bowl and mix with your hands.
Grind the seasoned lamb though your
Meat Grinder, first through a coarse plate, then a second time through a fine plate.
Use your hands to tightly pack the lamb into meatballs.
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, pour in the olive oil and lamb meatballs and saute on all sides, about 5 minutes total — just until the outsides are browned.
Pour the mole into the skillet to heat and let cook another 5 minutes. Check meatballs for doneness — you'll still want a warm pink center.
Sprinkle with cotija cheese while hot, so that it melts a little. Serve immediately, sprinkled with parsley.
