Popular in North African cuisine, chermoula is a marinade full of earthy spices. Its robust flavours make it the perfect sauce for these tender meatballs, and the rich feta adds a delicious creaminess. Chermoula lamb meatballs with broad beans, feta and mint makes a perfect early autumn dinner when served with orzo, spaghetti or rice.
Recipe by Illanique van Aswegen
Chermoula lamb meatballs with broad beans, feta and mint
Ingredients
Meatballs
- 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
- 1 small onion, peeled and finely diced
- 1 red pepper, seeds removed and finely diced
- 30ml (2 tbsp) crushed garlic
- 10ml (2 tbsp) capers, drained
- 5ml (1 tsp) ground cumin
- 2,5ml (½ tsp) ground coriander
- 2,5ml (½ tsp) dried chilli flakes
- 10ml (2 tsp) paprika
- 3,75ml (¾ tsp) fine salt
- 300g minced lamb
- 150g minced beef
- 5ml (1 tsp) fresh mint, finely chopped
- 45ml (3 tbsp) fresh coriander, finely chopped
- 2 large eggs
Broad beans
- 240g (2 cups) broad beans, shelled
- 30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
- 5ml (1 tsp) crushed garlic
- 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 30ml (2 tbsp) fresh oregano leaves
- 30ml (2 tbsp) lemon juice
- 500ml (2 cups) chicken stock, warm
To serve
- 200g (2 discs) feta
- 125ml (½ cup) fresh mint leaves
- orzo, spaghetti or rice
Instructions
For the meatballs, heat 15ml (1 tbsp) of the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté the onion and red pepper until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, capers, cumin, ground coriander, chilli flakes, paprika and salt.
Add this mixture to the lamb and beef mince. Stir in the chopped mint and fresh coriander.
Add the eggs to the mince and mix well. Shape the mince mixture into golf ball-sized balls.
Heat the remaining olive oil in a large pan that has a lid. Sear the meatballs (uncovered) over high heat in 2 – 3 batches for about 5 minutes each and remove from the pan.
For the broad beans, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the beans for 2 minutes and refresh in cold water. Peel off the skins.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in the same pan used to sear the meatballs. Stir in the blanched beans, garlic, spring onions and oregano, and fry for 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and warm stock. Cook the beans, with the lid on, for about 15 minutes. Gently add the meatballs and cook, covered, for another 25 minutes.
To serve, place the meatballs and beans in a serving dish and top with crumbled feta and mint leaves. Serve with orzo, spaghetti or rice.
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