Healthy Recipe, Braised Spiced Meatballs

Here’s a low-hassle one-pot dish to warm you up: meatballs redolent of Middle Eastern spices, simmered in a garlicky tomato sauce with just the right balance of tang and sweetness. It’s lightly adapted from “What Goes with What” by Julia Turshen. It says lamb, but if that isn’t your thing, any other ground meat — or plant-based alternative— will be just as delicious. Plus, it freezes great and tastes even better the next day. Round out the meal with rice, couscous, or your favorite grain, along with a simple salad or green vegetable.

Serves 4. – Susan Puckett

Meatballs:

·         2 large eggs

·         ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs (or other breadcrumbs, regular or gluten-free)

·         2 teaspoons ground cumin

·         2 teaspoons ground coriander

·         2 teaspoons sweet paprika

·         2 teaspoons garlic powder

·         1 teaspoon kosher salt

·         1 pound ground lamb (or other meat or plant-based substitute)

·         2 tablespoons olive oil (plus more, as needed)

Sauce:

·         4 garlic cloves, minced

·         3 tablespoons tomato paste

·         1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

·         2 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup

·         2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

·         Salt to taste

1. Make the meatballs: Place the eggs in a large bowl and beat well with a fork. Add the breadcrumbs, cumin, coriander, sweet paprika, garlic powder, and salt and stir well to combine.
   

2. Add the meat and mix with your hands to evenly distribute the breadcrumbs and spices, then shape them into a dozen meatballs.
   

3. Coat the bottom of a large, heavy pot with the olive oil and set it over medium-high heat. When hot, add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until just browned, about 10 minutes. (They will finish cooking in the oven.) Remove to a plate and set aside.
   

4. Make the sauce: In the same pot, add the garlic and tomato paste, adding a little more olive oil if needed. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until very fragrant, about 30 seconds.
   

5. Add the crushed tomatoes and stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any bits clinging to the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce it to medium-low, and stir in the brown sugar or syrup and vinegar. Season to taste with salt.
   

6. To finish: Return the meatballs to the pot, cover with a lid, and simmer until the meatballs are cooked through, about 20 minutes.
   

7.      Serve with hot cooked rice and garnish with crumbled feta or vegan feta, if desired.

Susan Puckett is an Atlanta-based food writer and cookbook author.