Denver chef Kevin Marquet serves these Moorish meatballs at The 9th Door and contributed this recipe to “Spain and the World Table” after the Culinary Institute of America’s 2006 Worlds of Flavor International Conference. Serves 8.
Ingredients
MEATBALLS
1 baguette, cubed and dried
1/3 cup dry sherry
3 1/2 pounds ground lamb
3 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons minced garlic, about 5-6 cloves
1 cup minced (about 1 medium) onion
2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
ALMOND SHERRY SAUCE
2 tablespoons minced garlic, about 3 cloves
2 1/3 cups diced yellow onions
1 1/3 cups dry sherry
1 1/3 cups lamb stock
1 1/3 cups toasted almonds
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 tablespooons lemon juice
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup chopped fresh mint
6 tablsepoons butter, cut into chunks
Directions
Soak bread briefly in sherry until liquid is absorbed, then pulse in a food processor fitted with the steel blade for about 1 minute, or until mixture is processed into fine crumbs. Transfer to a large bowl and combine with lamb, eggs, garlic, onion, mint, salt and pepper.
Form lamb mixture into 1 1/2-inch meatballs. Dust with flour. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs in batches and brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a shallow baking dish.
Sauce: In large pot, combine garlic, onions, sherry and lamb stock. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. Pour sauce over meatballs and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Pour off sauce into a pan and reserve. Keep meatballs warm.
In a food processor, combine almonds, lemon zest and juice, olive oil and mint. Process to blend and make a paste. Whisk paste into reserved sauce. Heat through over medium-high for about 2 minutes, and whisk in butter to finish sauce. Add meatballs and serve.
