The holidays are now finally winding down for a few months unless you have a significant other, Valentine’s day is around the corner, men, do not forget. Speaking of significant others, below is a recipe by Chef Jula Jaksis from Employees Only- her restaurant in NY on Christopher St. It is for Lamb Meatballs with Yogurt and Pomegranate-Mint Relish, using the POM Wonderful pomegranates.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 1 lb. ground lamb
- ¼ cup shallots, finely diced
- 1 teaspoon garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons mint, chopped
- 3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- ½ cup chicken stock
Yogurt
- 1 4-oz. container Greek yogurt
- juice from ½ lemon
- Pomegranate-Mint Relish
- 1 cup arils from POM Wonderful Pomegranates
- (or 1 cup POM POMS Fresh Arils)
- 2 tablespoons mint, chopped
- 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Meatballs:
- In a large bowl, mix together the lamb, shallots, garlic, spices and herbs.
- Pour the chicken stock over the bread crumbs and add to the lamb mix; combine well.
- Portion meatballs into desired size.
- In a hot pan with olive oil, sear the meatballs on medium-high heat. (Depending on the size of the meatballs and if you prefer the center to be slightly rare, searing in the pan just until browned will be fine. If you prefer a well-done center, place the meatballs in a 400°F oven for an additional 5–8 minutes.)
Yogurt:
- Mix the yogurt with the lemon juice until smooth.
- Refrigerate until serving.
Pomegranate-Mint Relish:
- Prepare fresh pomegranate arils, if necessary.*
- Add the arils, mint, parsley, lemon zest, olive oil and red wine vinegar together; salt and pepper to taste.
To Serve:
- Line the meatballs on a plate and put a dollop of the yogurt on each.
- Liberally sprinkle with the Pomegranate-Mint Relish.
*To prepare fresh arils, score 1–2 large POM Wonderful Pomegranates and place in a bowl of water. Break open the pomegranates under water to free the arils (seed sacs). The arils will sink to the bottom of the bowl and the membrane will float to the top. Sieve and put the arils in a separate bowl. Reserve 1 cup of the arils from fruit and set aside. (Refrigerate or freeze remaining arils for another use.)
In addition to Pomegranates in whole form there are also new POM POM Fresh Arils which are 4.3 ounces and 100 calories each. Each one contains quite a few of those delicious little fruit bits pomegranates are known for.
These quick open packs are perfect for lunch boxes for kids and adults as a healthy alternative to fruit snacks or candies as a lunch time treat.
