lamb meatballs (kaftas)

lamb meatballs skewered with sliced sweet mini peppers

I hope to get a good start this year by trying out new ideas and flavors for healthier meals. I was pleased to find ground lamb from the grocery the other day. I immediately thought about Mediterranean or Moroccan cuisine and the spices that they use. My research led me to the McCormick website and I was happy to find a recipe for Moroccan lamb meatballs which looked very promising. I also like that these meatballs were baked instead of fried, reducing not just the time spent in front of the stove but the extra calories as well. The recipe, created by Chef Cat Cora, was exactly what I was looking for. Here are pictures of the dish below.

We enjoyed the combination of flavors, cumin, cinnamon, ginger and allspice. The sesame seeds were evenly toasted and added texture and nutty flavor. The creamy yogurt dip or dressing had the same spices but I added more ground ginger, used hot sauce instead of harissa and lemon juice instead of orange juice.

roast rack of lamb

cooked rare at 140F interior temperature

Attempting my first ever roast rack of lamb at home was a challenge. First off, I wanted to make sure I got everything right as I didn't want this perfect and pricey piece of meat go to waste. To help me out, I even watched a couple of very informative You Tube videos on how to properly french (a new term I learned) a rack of lamb. It was also helpful that our oven has a built-in probe gadget. It beeps when the preferred temperature for doneness has been reached. The timing was crucial so as not to overcook the lamb. This was on the rare side and still pink at 140F when I took it out of the oven. Next time I will try to cook it medium rare at 150F. I also tried to make a red wine reduction sauce (as shown in the first photo above) but it didn't quite work so I need to improve it. The lamb was served with steamed vegetables and pan-fried red potatoes.

resting the rack of lamb before slicing is an important step