Recipes

Lamb Meatballs & Almond Sauce ( Albóndigas en Salsa con Picada de Almendras )

Meatballs

Ingredients

  • 1 egg
  • 1 lb ground lamb
  • 2 slices bread (any kind)
  • ½ small onion, diced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 4 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • olive oil

Instructions

  1. Beat egg in large bowl. Add lamb/bread/ onion/garlic/parsley/salt/pepper. Mix well.
  2. Shape into walnut-sized balls.
  3. Heat olive oil in a deep skillet. Add meatballs. Fry until browned on all sides.

Almond Sauce

Ingredients

  • 2 c stock
  • 1 cup dry white wine (or cooking wine)
  • 2 pinches saffron threads
  • 1 lemon, zested
  • 2 slices bread
  • 1 cup slivered almonds
  • ½  tsp salt
  • ½ tsp pepper
  • 3 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

  1. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil. Fry almonds/ bread/garlic until golden brown. Remove solids and cool slightly, leaving oil in the pan.
  2. Combine almond mixture/wine in a food processor and blend until mostly smooth.
  3. Reheat pan. Add almond mixture/ saffron/lemon zest/salt/pepper/stock and bring to a boil.
  4. Reduce heat and add meatballs. Cover. Simmer ~25 min, until thickened.

Notes:

Great with roasted green beans & rye toast!

Lettuce Wraps

Ingredients

FOR WRAPS:

lettuce leaves (large and crunchy leaves work best, like romaine or iceberg)

heat-tolerant cooking oil for pan (recommended: safflower or sunflower)

1.5 lb (24 oz) ground meat – OR – meat substitute (16-24 oz tempeh/firm tofu or 2 c TVP)

3 c button or cremini mushrooms, diced

0.5 yellow onion, diced

1 c carrots, julienned (cut in thin strips)

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp fresh ginger root, minced

8 oz water chestnuts, diced

4-6 green onions, sliced

0.75 tsp salt

0.25 tsp pepper

2 tbsp liquid aminos (or coconut aminos or soy sauce)

2 tsp toasted sesame oil (or peanut oil + sesame seeds if you have them)

1.5 tbsp almond butter (or other nut butter)

1.5 tsp sambal oelek (or chili sauce like sriracha)

1 tsp rice vinegar (plain or seasoned, I use half and half)

1 tsp mirin (sweet cooking rice wine – can sub 0.75 tsp sherry/wine + 0.25 tsp honey/sugar)

FOR SAUCE:

4 green onions, sliced thinly

3 tbsp liquid aminos (or coconut aminos or soy sauce)

1.5 tsp toasted sesame oil (or peanut oil + sesame seeds, if you have them)

1 tsp sambal oelek (or chili sauce like sriracha)

1.5 tsp rice vinegar (plain or seasoned, I use half and half)

1 tsp mirin (sweet cooking rice wine – can sub 0.75 tsp sherry/wine + 0.25 tsp honey/sugar)

Instructions

If using tempeh: crumble/break in to large chunks. It will break apart more, so you want to start with larger pieces than desired in the end.

If using tofu: break/cut in to small (0.5″) cubes. It will break apart more, so you want to start with larger pieces than desired in the end.

If using TVP: reconstitute and pre-season by combining 2 c TVP + 0.5 tsp salt (or 1 tsp Ficken Seasoning/Vegan Bouillon Powder) with just under 2 c boiling water. Stir until all water is absorbed.

If using meat: no prep needed

  1. Prepare all the vegetables. Mix liquid filling ingredients together in a small bowl. Mix sauce ingredients together in a separate bowl.
  2. Heat 2 tbsp cooking oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.
  3. Add yellow onions and mushrooms. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring every couple minutes (until onions begin to soften and mushrooms have released most of them moisture). Reduce heat to medium.
  4. Add carrots + ginger + garlic. Cook for 5 minutes.
  5. If using meat, remove vegetables from pan. Add 1-2 tbsp cooking oil + meat + 0.25 tsp salt. Brown until just cooked through. Remove fat if needed. Add vegetables back to pan.
  6. If using plant-based protein, add it to the vegetables.
  7. Add salt + pepper to vegetables/protein in the pan. Cook all together for 5 minutes.
  8. Add water chestnuts + green onions. Stir to combine.
  9. Add liquid filling ingredients. Mix well and cook for 3 more minutes.
  10. Scoop in to lettuce leaves and top with a spoonful of sauce.