An original idea for the table
Rosemary Lamb Meatballs with Orange-Fennel Tomato Sauce
Rosemary stays with the lamb; a small amount of orange zest and fennel seed lifts the tomato sauce without turning it sweet.
Paired with Josep Grau Vespres 2024
- Serves
- 4, making 16 meatballs
- Prep
- 20 minutes
- Cook
- 25 minutes
- Total
- About 45 minutes
about 40–45 minutes. Preheat during prep and make the sauce while the meatballs bake; the sauce time is not additional.
Gather
Ingredients
- For the meatballs: 1 pound (454 g) ground lamb
- For the meatballs: 1/3 cup (20 g) plain panko breadcrumbs
- For the meatballs: 3 tablespoons (45 mL) milk
- For the meatballs: 1 large egg
- For the meatballs: 1/3 cup (60 g) finely grated yellow onion, including its juices
- For the meatballs: 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
- For the meatballs: 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- For the meatballs: 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- For the meatballs: 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- For the meatballs: 1 teaspoon olive oil, for the baking sheet
- For the sauce: 1 tablespoon olive oil
- For the sauce: 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, lightly crushed
- For the sauce: 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- For the sauce: 1 can (14.5 ounces/411 g) crushed tomatoes
- For the sauce: 1/4 cup (60 mL) water
- For the sauce: 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- For the sauce: 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, with no white pith
Useful equipment
Rimmed baking sheet, large mixing bowl, saucepan, and instant-read thermometer.
Make
At the stove
Step 1.
Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet with the teaspoon of oil. Mix the panko and milk in a large bowl and leave for 3 minutes while you prepare the onion and rosemary.
Step 2.
Stir the egg, onion, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper into the soaked crumbs. Add the lamb and mix gently until evenly combined. Divide into 16 meatballs, each about 1 1/2 inches across, and arrange on the sheet with space between them.
Step 3.
Bake for about 18–23 minutes, until the centers reach 160°F (71°C). Check several meatballs with an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center, and continue cooking any that are below temperature. Browning alone does not establish safe doneness. FDA safe-temperature guidance
Step 4.
While the meatballs bake, warm the tablespoon of oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the fennel seeds and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chopped garlic and stir for another 30 seconds without letting it brown.
Step 5.
Add the tomatoes, water, and sauce salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the orange zest at the end.
Step 6.
Divide the sauce among four plates and add four cooked meatballs to each. Serve promptly.
Times are estimates; use the doneness checks as well as the clock. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F; reheat to 165°F.
Food meets wine
Why this pairing?
Lamb gives the Montsant red a substantial savory partner, while rosemary provides a clear aromatic reference point. The fennel and orange are deliberately small accents so they do not take over the comparison. Try a sip with the meatball first, then with the tomato sauce: does the sauce make the wine seem rounder or sharper? That question teaches us more about this particular bottle than assuming that every Grenache-based blend behaves alike.
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