Several years ago I had a business partner who was born to parents that first set foot in this country (as children) in the late 1940s after their families’ homes and businesses in Greece were destroyed during the German occupation in WWII.
His name was Fedor (apparently meaning divine gift in Greek) though he went by the somewhat curious name Buckie professionally – he thought it much more American for some reason.
He was a winsome guy and married an absolute knockout of a Southern Belle from Atlanta during his residency days and ferried her all the way to Salt Lake City, which to her mind was pretty much equivalent to the dark side of the moon when they first arrived.
His parents had settled in California and opened a restaurant before making it big in real estate; Fedor was a great host and loved setting out huge spreads of stunningly good Greek food he learned to cook as a kid helping his parents in the kitchen.
As we taught Fedor to fly fish he’d occasionally bring a big box of these lamb meatballs along in the cooler on a Green River run, though they were even better right out of the oven or off the grill, wrapped in a hot pita or piled in a hollowed-out piece of french bread poor-boy style and slathered in his cilantro raita.
I was standing at the meat counter yesterday as the butcher dropped a tray of freshly ground lamb behind the glass and had a lightning bolt flashback to sitting on Fedor’s back porch eating these hot off the grill, watching friends get silly drinking Ouzo and slyly wondering if Fedor’s wife needed help in the kitchen.
Needless to say there’s lamb in the fridge right now and these will be on the grill if it ever stops raining today (or we’ll just crank up the broiler). Don’t forget the cilantro raita.
2 tbsp. olive oil
Medium yellow onion, minced
1 lb. ground lamb
2 eggs, beaten lightly
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp. bread crumbs (fine)
1 tsp. cumin
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh ground pepperCilantro Raita
1 cup plain yogurt
2-3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, chopped fine
1/4 tsp. salt
Pepper to taste
Prep work. Chop / mince the onion and sauté in the olive oil until soft, cool for 10 minutes. Place a layer of parchment paper on a baking sheet.
Make the meatballs. Meanwhile combine the lamb, eggs, parsley, bread crumbs, cumin, garlic, salt, pepper and the cooled onions. Use your hands, be gentle and don’t overwork the meat. Form into 3/4-inch sized balls, place on the parchment paper and preheat the broiler when about halfway through the bowl.
Broil ‘em. Broil the meatballs for 8-10 minutes, turning once; you’re looking for brown and crispy goodness here. (Great on the grill of course…)
Raita time. While the meatballs are broiling, stir together the raita.
Serve. Serve hot on or platter or skewer with toothpicks if you don’t want your diners battling one another with their forks over the meatball platter.
Enjoy.
