Courtesy of Celebrity Cruises
Luminae Restaurant
Serves: 4. Preparation time: 1 hour.
- For the Meat Balls:
- 1 lb. Ground Lamb Shoulder (Thomas Farms)
- 1½ oz. Milk
- ¾ C. White Bread (Chopped)
- 2 t. Garlic (Chopped)
- 2 t. Shallots (Minced)
- 2 t. Carrots (Minced)
- 2 t. Celery (Minced)
- ¼ t. Cumin Powder
- ¼ t. Turmeric Powder
- ¼ t. Cayenne Powder
- ¼ t. Onion Powder
- ¼ t. Cinnamon Powder
- ¼ t. Fresh Oregano (Chopped)
- 1 Date (Minced)
- 1 Egg White
- Salt and Pepper to taste
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• Soak the Cubed Bread in the Milk until absorbed while you cook the spices. In a sauté pan on medium heat, add the Garlic, Shallots, Carrots, Celery, Cumin, Turmeric, Cayenne, Onion, Cinnamon Powder and Oregano. Stir together. Add the Minced Dates and cook until the Dates are soft and combined well with the other items. Remove the Date Mixture from the heat. Save the pan.
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• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Use gloves while handling the raw Lamb. Keep the raw meat away from served items. In a mixing bowl, add the Ground Lamb, Soaked Bread, Egg Whites and the warm Date Mixture from above. Salt and Pepper lightly. Mix all the ingredients by hand until uniform. Make 12 Meatballs by hand. Then place them in the sauté pan on medium heat and cook them turning frequently until just golden brown. Now place the warm Meatballs on a cookie sheet and roast them for 15-20 minutes until the internal temperature is above 165°F.
• In a large pot on medium heat, combine the Wine, Sugar, Vinegar, Cinnamon Stick and Star Anise. Salt and Pepper lightly. Add the Sliced Onions and Cubed Beets and bring to a boil. Cook until the Onions are wilted and jelled. Remove the Cinnamon Stick, Star Anise and Beets if possible. [The Beets give it color and flavor, not texture.] Remove the Onion Marmalade from the heat.
• In a clean mixing bowl, add the Yogurt, Oregano, Cilantro, Mint, Parsley and Lemon Juice. Salt and Pepper lightly. Mix thoroughly.
• In 4 serving dishes, put ¼ of the Yogurt Mixture on each dish. Flatten with a spoon. Place 3 warm Meatballs in a triangle shape on top of the Yogurt base, spoon the warm Marmalade in the center, place 3 Date Slices around the Meatballs, garnish with a Basil Leaf if desired. Serve warm.
"Lamb Meatballs" - this dish is popular in Turkish cuisine, typically made with marinated milk-fed Lamb. It's called "Shish Köfte" and made with many Herbs, often Parsley and Mint. This recipe is from Celebrity Cruises' Luminae Restaurant. Used with permission.
