My Lamb Meatballs with Pomegranate Glaze has to be my favorite holiday season recipe for 2020. It is so delicious, I have made it so many times already, and I am sure I will a few more times before the sun sets on 2020.

The Lamb Meatballs with Pomegranate Glaze were the stars at my big cooking class I held on Saturday. Of all the recipes, this one was the favorite. I think it is simplicity, that wow-why-did-I-not-think-about-that idea. Also the different textures, flavors and hot/cold feel that works.

You can use beef for this recipe, but trust me, lamb is just better, way better! The fattiness of the lamb, set off by the acidity of the pomegranate pips and yogurt is hard to beat. The idea is to put the minty yogurt in the bottom of the platter, then as someone picks up a meatball it is already “dressed” with the dipping sauce. If this is not your thing, feel free to put the yogurt in a little bowl.

The rosemary skewers – if you can get enough of them with a firm enough stem to stand, it will be just perfect. Otherwise use bamboo skewers. The rosemary  does however impart a wonderful flavor to the meatballs.

Lamb Meatballs with Pomegranate Glaze

Ingredients

1 small onion – finely grated

500 g  lamb or beef mince – I prefer lamb.

4 garlic cloves, crushed

2 eggs

250 ml 1 cup chopped herbs – flat leaf parsley, mint or coriander or a blend

5 ml/ 1 t ground cumin

5 ml / 1 teaspoon coriander

7 ml / 1 ½ t salt

3 ml / ½ t  black pepper

80 ml / ¼ cup to ½ cup bread crumbs

Pomegranate Glaze

375 ml / 1 ½ cup concentrated pomegranate juice

15 ml / 1T  honey

5 ml / 1 t balsamic vinegar

pinch salt and pepper

one or two sprigs thyme

Method

Start with the Pomegranate Glaze. In a small pot, add pomegranate juice, thyme, balsamic vinegar and pinch of salt and pepper and honey. Bring to a simmer, turn heat to medium, then simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until it reduces to ½ cup. Turn heat off.

Make the meatballs. 

Preheat the oven to 180 C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. Place meatball ingredients in a bowl and mix well using your hands, adding enough breadcrumbs to make them easy to roll into balls. Cook a “tester.” Taste, adjust salt.

Use your wet hands and roll the meat into ping-pong sized balls. You should have about 12-16.

Place the meatballs on the baking sheet and bake for 15-20 min or until they have a golden brown color. Glaze with the sauce and serve with minty Greek yogurt.

Garnish with fresh pomegranate seeds and herbs.

For the Minty Yogurt

500 ml/2 cups Fairview Yogurt

a small handful mint leaves – finely chopped

zest and juice of 1 lemon

pinch of salt and coarsely ground pepper

Method

Mix all the ingredients together and smear in the bottom of the serving platter.

Follow me on: