Lamb Meatballs with Pomegranate Sauce

By jkelly117

These tasty lamb meatballs with pomegranate sauce can be ready to eat in less than an hour. The pomegranate juice adds richness to this main-dish recipe, especially when combined with the mild flavor of ground lamb. Serve with seasoned yogurt and pita wedges. Put these in a slow cooker, and you are ready for the next potluck celebration.

Ingredients

• 15 time: 15 mins
• 1 1 2 egg or 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1 1 1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• 2 3 2 3 2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
• 2 2 2 lb. ground lamb
• 1 16-oz. 1 16-oz. 16-oz. bottle pomegranate juice
• 1 1 1 tsp. sugar
• 3 3 3 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1-1/2 1-1/2 1-1/2 cups plain Greek yogurt
• 2 2 2 Tbsp. snipped fresh chives
• 1 1 1 clove garlic, minced
• Fresh mint leaves (optional)
• Toasted pita bread wedges (optional)

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. In large bowl combine egg, bread crumbs, mint, 2 or 3 cloves garlic, salt, and pepper. Add ground lamb; mix well. Shape into 32 meatballs; set aside.
2. For sauce, in medium saucepan bring pomegranate juice to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 25 minutes or until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Add sugar; stir to dissolve.
3. Meanwhile, in large skillet brown half the meatballs at a time in hot olive oil, turning to brown evenly. Transfer to a 15x10x1-inch baking pan. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F. In medium bowl combine yogurt, 1 tablespoon of the chives, and 1 clove garlic. To serve, drizzle meatballs with pomegranate sauce; sprinkle with remaining chives and mint. Serve with seasoned yogurt and pita wedges. Makes 6 to 8 servings.