If you like the crisp edges of lasagne, the soaked croutons, the whipped cream that gets icy around the chocolate scoop - you’re in the right place.
Hi folks, and thanks to all of you who found your way here via my recent New York Times piece, or the features section on Substack.
I’m sharing two recipes today—one for brothy spiced meatballs with chickpeas, and another for the zippy carrot and herb slaw that you must eat with it. Together, they’re a meal that anticipates spring and feels lush, while being frighteningly practical.
You probably have everything you need to make both: frozen mince, broth, a can of chickpeas, a few spices, carrots and a lemon. For mince, you can use beef or lamb—whatever is nice and fatty. The broth absolutely doesn't need to be your prized homemade batch, and canned chickpeas will be just fine. The meatballs will share their flavors with both the liquor and the beans rather quickly. It’ll all hum with cumin, coriander, and paprika.
The meatball recipe scales up and down. I’ve made versions of it both for large groups and just for myself—in the latter case, by simply squeezing lamb sausages out of their casings and rolling them into little meatballs. (Pre-seasoned! No fussing with a mix.) If you’re cooking for more than six, skip the stovetop and the whole browning-in-several-batches hoopla, and just use your oven. Cook the meatballs at a high temp in large roasting trays, get them sizzling, add the broth and drained chickpeas, finish with a kiss from the broiler for extra color.
The carrot and herb slaw that offsets the earthy meatballs is worthy of its own post. Carrot salads are so useful because they can be great even without great produce, and they improve as they sit.
I like to knife-cut my carrots, because chopping is me-time, but if it's not for you, then shred the carrots on the wide holes of a grater, or julienne on a mandolin. The salad gets softer and sloppier as it sits, which isn’t necessary with the meatballs, but is absolutely what you want when you're eating it out of a container standing in front of the fridge tomorrow. Ideally, with chunks of feta.
BROTHY SPICED MEATBALLS
Brown gently and don’t over-cook your meatballs - there’s no milk in the mix to protect them.
Serves 4
1 pound ground beef (80/20 lean), or lamb
⅓ cup breadcrumbs
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of cayenne / chili flakes
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can (15 ½ ounces) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups chicken broth
To make the meatballs, combine all of the ingredients except the chickpeas, broth, and olive oil in a large bowl using your hands to squelch everything together.
Once the mixture is somewhat uniform, wet your hands, then pinch off walnut-sized pieces, rolling them into balls and placing on a baking sheet. You should have about 20 one-ounce meatballs.
In a large pan, heat the olive oil. When it shimmers, add the meatballs, leaving enough room to maneuver with a spatula between each of them. If your pan is smaller than twelve inches, you may need to brown in two batches. Brown the meatballs for a few minutes before flipping. After you’ve browned the second side, roll them around to encourage general goldening rather than an intense sear.
When you’re happy with their color, deglaze the pan with the broth and add the chickpeas. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cover the pan, continuing to cook for 4-5 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Taste the broth and the chickpeas, and add salt to taste.
EAT WITH Carrot & Herb Slaw (see below; also rice or freekeh if you want a grain)
CARROT & HERB SLAW
A carrot slaw is one of the things I’m happiest to ‘find’ in my fridge. It’s versatile, and gets juicy as it sits. It's a recipe that accepts volumes of herbs and variation. It works seasoned with orange juice instead of lemon, you can include sultanas, too, even apple and beets.
Here, I’ve included onion and mint to lift the meatballs, but neither ages well, so leave these out if you’re doubling the recipe for leftovers. The quantities below will make the right amount to go with the meatballs.
Serves 4
4 carrots
1 small onion
1 handful mint leaves
½ bunch parsley
Juice of ½ lemon
Olive oil for drizzling
Grate or julienne the carrots and put them in a large bowl. Season generously with salt and lemon juice. Toss and squeeze.
Peel the onion and chop in half so you can slice flat-side down, as thinly as you can (if you have dodgy knife skills use a mandolin or forget the onion—no one wants hamburger rings).
Roughly chop the herbs. Add onions and herbs to the bowl and toss. Taste again, drizzle with a little olive oil.
EAT WITH Brothy Spiced Meatballs, or with chunks of feta.
450, and check a meatball for doneness after 20 minutes total!
Sounds like a great meal, and the carrot slaw presented so beautifully.
I have found that almond flour can be a low carb/gluten free alternative to bread crumbs.