Polly Markus' Tasty Lamb Meatballs with Jammy Harissa Tomatoes
These meatballs are anything but boring, says Polly Markus. Photo: Josh Griggs
I have no time for boring meatballs, and these are anything but. The harissa tomatoes are just delightful too. You can roll the meatballs in advance as well as make the tomato sauce and then reheat it before serving. I like to add a dollop of Greek yoghurt on the side. If you want to make this gluten-free, change the couscous to quinoa. I suggest doubling the meatballs for an easy freezer meal. You’ll thank me later.
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the meatballs:
- 800g lamb mince
- 100g feta, crumbled
- 1 egg
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp sweet paprika
- 1Tbsp ground cumin
- 1 Tbsp cinnamon
- ½ cup finely chopped Italian parsley (plus extra leaves for garnish)
- 3 cups rocket leaves
- ½ cup pickled red onion
For the Jammy Harissa Tomatoes:
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves – thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp harissa paste
- 400g can cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 500g cherry tomatoes – halved
- ¼ cup lemon juice
For the Buttery Couscous:
- 1½ cups couscous
- 50g butter
- 1 cup finely chopped Italian parsley
Method
To make the meatballs, mix the mince, feta, egg, garlic, oregano, paprika, cumin, cinnamon and parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and cracked pepper. Roll into 20 balls. Set aside.
To make the Jammy Harissa Tomatoes, ready a large pan on a low/medium heat. Add the oil, garlic and harissa and fry for 2 minutes. Season with salt and cracked pepper. Add the canned tomatoes and sugar. Turn the heat up to medium. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cherry tomatoes and lemon juice and simmer for a further 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
To make the Buttery Couscous, cook the couscous as per the packet instructions. Once cooked, fold in the butter and parsley. Set aside.
Ready a second large pan on a medium/high heat. Add a generous splash of oil. Fry the meatballs for 3–4 minutes on each side until browned all over and cooked through. Set aside.
To serve, place the couscous on a serving platter. Add the rocket. Top with the meatballs. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatballs. Top with the pickled onion and extra parsley.
Photo: Allen & Unwin
Auckland real estate agent and food writer Polly Markus is author of the bestselling Miss Polly's Kitchen. This recipe is from her new book, Seriously Delicious.
