February 7, 2011 | Appetizers, Meat & Poultry
The title of this post might be throwing you off just a bit. I’m not writing about 3 different recipes today, but rather how one single recipe is versatile enough to be cooked in various forms. Hosting a cocktail party and looking for something warm and savory to serve? Shape into meatballs and bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet, then serve them with a nice cilantro chutney. Looking for comfort food with just a little surprise? Make meatloaf for your family and offer some cool raita sauce on the side. Ready to grill (assuming you live somewhere with warmer weather than I have right now)? Shape the mixture into burgers and throw ‘em on the barbie! Serve in toasted buns with minted yogurt instead of mayo. No matter which one you choose, it comes together so ridiculously easily that I’m not even wasting space on step by step shots. One recipe three ways – how’s that for culinary innovation?!
- 2 pounds ground lamb
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon dried mint flakes
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ½ cup rolled oats
- 8 ounces crumbled feta cheese, or goat cheese or queso fresco
- Loosely crumble ground lamb in a large bowl. In a small bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add all spices to the eggs and beat together until well combined. Pour seasoned eggs into the meat and use a fork to loosely work together. Add oats and cheese and incorporate into mixture, making sure not to overwork the meat. Shape into a loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes.
I love lamb, but have never considered using it for meatloaf–looks great!