Lamb Meatballs in Tomato-Mint Sauce with Couscous recipe

FOUR SERVINGS

4 cups large chunks of crusty bread 1 cup milk 1 pound ground lamb 1 egg 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (a generous handful) 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 teaspoons grated lemon peel 2 pinches ground allspice Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 small onion, peeled 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes 2 cups chicken broth Flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (a generous handful) Fresh mint, finely chopped (a generous handful) 2 tablespoons butter One 10-ounce box (1 1/2 cups) couscous 1/4 cup pine nuts (a generous handful), toasted

1. In a bowl, soak the bread in the milk for a few minutes until softened, then squeeze out excess liquid and transfer to a food processor; pulse to grind. Place in a large bowl; add the lamb, egg, cheese, one-quarter of the garlic, the lemon peel and allspice; season with salt and pepper. Grate about 2 tablespoons of the onion into the lamb. Combine the mixture and roll into meatballs the size of walnuts (20 to 25 balls).
2. In a deep skillet, heat the EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, over medium heat. Add the remaining garlic, grate in the remaining onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and 1/2 cup chicken broth and cook until bubbling. Add the meatballs and simmer, turning over if they're not fully submerged, until cooked through, about 8 minutes. Stir in the parsley and mint and season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, bring the remaining 1 1/2 cups chicken broth and the butter to a simmer. Stir in the couscous, turn off the heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Add the pine nuts and fluff with a fork.
4. Serve the meatballs and sauce over the couscous.



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RECIPES

Lamb Meatballs in Tomato-Mint Sauce with Couscous