Baklouti Lamb Meatballs with Spicy Apricot Jasmine Rice

With sweet lamb as the anchor, garlic and lemon for that much-needed acidity, combined with cool apricot jam for balance, you’d never know you’re simply making meatballs and rice. Baklouti Hot Green Chili Olive Oil is the secret weapon that transforms the meat, the rice, and the vegetables into the unexpected percussion of texture and umami. Whatever dish that needs just a little, or a lot of heat, this oil should always be within reach!

Recipe Credit: Camine Pappas. To read more about how Camine created this recipe and her the entire blog post on this subject, click here to visit her website: IFeelLikeCooking.com.

INGREDIENTS

MEATBALLS

• 1 lb ground lamb
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon ground oregano
• 4 teaspoons Olive This! Baklouti Olive Oil
• 2 tablespoons apricot jam
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons shallot, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

SKILLET INGREDIENTS

• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 2 medium stalks celery, diced
• 1 large clove of garlic, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped Italian leaf parsley, divided
• 1/3 cup jasmine rice
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons Olive This! Baklouti Olive Oil
• ½ cup golden raisins
• 1/3 cup apricot jam
• 1 lemon sliced thin
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

DIRECTIONS

Make the lamb meatballs by combining all ingredients. Form into small balls. It should make about 15 – 18 balls. Set aside.

Chop zucchini, celery, shallot, garlic, and parsley, and then measure out apricot jam, rice, and vegetable stock for the rice mixture.

Bring a large sauté pan to very high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons Baklouti olive oil, and brown the meatballs on each side. About 2 minutes each side. Remove and set on a plate.

Wipe out most of the oil as the lamb would have rendered quite a bit of fat. Leave just a couple of tablespoons in the pan. While pan is still hot, and turning the heat down to medium high, add the rice and garlic and celery and toast it in the oil for about 3 minutes, adding a bit more olive oil if desired. Now add the stock, stir until combined, and then add the lamb meatballs back to the skillet. Dot the top with a few thin slices of lemon. Cover, lower heat, and let simmer for about 15 minutes until rice is almost soft. Remove lid. Add half the parsley, the zucchini and salt, plus the 1/3 cup apricot jam and stir in to combine. Let it cook on low for about another 5 minutes.

Serve with remainder of parsley as garnish.

©Recipe Copyright Camine Pappas, 2013 – 2023. All rights reserved.

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