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By Root 1795 0

sauce in the slow cooker. All the meatball mixtures in the recipes that follow can also be shaped into a meat loaf; cook on low for five hours until the internal temperature is 185°F.

Curried Lamb Meatballs

Called koftas in India, these delicious meatballs are full of flavor from the usual suspects: garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, and garam masala. Cooked in a spicy tomato sauce, they are soft and flavored with the cooking liquid. I like to serve these as an appetizer for parties because they tend to wake up my guests. But they are also a delicious main dish served over steamed rice.

SAUCE

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 teaspoon sweet curry powder

Pinch of cayenne pepper

One 28- to 32-ounce can tomato purée

½ cup chicken broth

MEAT BALLS

2 pounds ground lamb

½ cup finely chopped onion

½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

½ teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon garam masala

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup soft fresh bread crumbs

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, curry powder, and cayenne and sauté for 2 minutes, until the mixture is fragrant.

add the tomatoes and broth and heat, scraping up any of the spices that have stuck to the bottom of the pan.

transfer the sauce to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker and keep warm while making the meatballs.

combine all the meatball ingredients except the cilantro in a large mixing bowl and mix until well blended. Shape into 2-inch meatballs and drop into the sauce in the slow cooker.

cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through. Skim off any fat from the sauce and stir in the cilantro.

serve the meatballs with skewers from the cooker set on warm.

serves 6–8

Mediterranean Gyros-Style Meatballs

Gyros are made from highly seasoned lamb and beef, spit roasted so the outside is crispy and the inside is juicy. Thinly sliced and packed into pita bread with cucumber yogurt sauce, tomatoes, and lettuce, the meat makes a delicious sandwich. Instead of spit roasting lamb, however, we’ll form the meat into balls and cook them in a red wine sauce. These meatballs are highly spiced with garlic, lemon zest, onion, and oregano and are terrific served over pasta or stuffed into pita with salad. Or, they can be served with skewers from the slow cooker for a party.

SAUCE

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup finely chopped onion

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups red wine, such as Chianti, Barolo, or Zinfandel

1 cup beef broth

1 cup chicken broth

MEAT BALLS

1 pound lean ground lamb

1 pound lean ground beef

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed in the palm of your hand

2 slices bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces

¼ cup milk

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Grated zest of 1 lemon

½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 3 minutes, until softened.

stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the wine and whisk until the mixture boils. Transfer to the insert of a 5- to 7-quart slow cooker and stir in the broths.

cover and keep warm while making the meatballs.

combine all the meatball ingredients except the parsley in a large mixing bowl and mix until well blended. Shape into 2-inch balls and carefully place in the sauce.

cover and cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the meatballs are cooked through. Skim off any fat from the top of the sauce and stir in the parsley.

serve from the cooker set on warm.

serves 6–8

Chapter 8

On the Side

Side dishes like risottos, wild rice, and grains are all stellar in the slow cooker, and the best part is you don’t have to stir or watch them. What’s not to love about