These light and tender lemony meatballs make the perfect spring and summer meal. The combination of flavors from the delicious herbs make them mouthwatering and the lemon sauce adds a fabulous change from the traditional meatballs in tomato sauce. Serve w
Meatballs:
1/2 lb. ground lamb
1/2 lb. ground pork
1 egg, lightly beaten
heaping 1/2 c. cooked rice
1/2 onion, minced or very finely chopped
1 c. chopped fresh parsley
1/2 c. chopped fresh dill or a little more than 1 heaping T. dried
1/2 c. chopped fresh mint leaves ( about 2/3 oz. plastic package)
2 T. olive oil
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 t. onion salt
fresh parsley, for garnish
Lemon sauce:
3 eggs
juice of 2 1/2 - 3 freshly squeezed lemons
pinch of salt
Put all meatball ingredients into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix everything thoroughly, but gently. DO NOT over mix or compact the meat.
Cover; refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
With you hands, roll meat mixture into 1 1/2 inch sized balls. Place on a platter.
Put about 4 1/2 c. water in a stock pot with a wide bottom. Bring water to a boil; carefully place meatballs in the water, one at a time. They can be fragile. The water should almost cover the meatballs, but not quite. Turn the heat down; simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes. DO NOT let the water boil furiously. Do this is stages if pot is not big enough. Remove meatballs; place on a fresh platter;keep warm.
While the meatballs are still cooking; whisk eggs well in a medium sized bowl; whisk in lemon juice and salt.
Remove 2 c. of the meatball cooking liquid then strain it. While whisking the egg and lemon mixture, ladle about 1/2 c. hot liquid into the eggs to temper them; slowly add the remaining liquid, stirring as adding. Pour sauce into a clean saucepan; gently cook a few more minutes, but DO NOT let sauce come to a boil, not even a simmer.
Serve the meatballs in shallow bowls on top of the sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley.
*If you get a few curdled eggs bits in your sauce, don’t panic, just strain it.
**If there are leftovers, reheat them gently. DO NOT let sauce come to a boil.
Serves 4- makes about 24 meatballs.