Day 85: Mediterranean Paradise: Lamb Meatballs, Cous Cous, Tomato-Feta Salad

I know I've mentioned before how much I love Greek food.  Well, I LOVE THIS MEAL!  The flavors are beautiful and each dish combined with the next makes more an amazing and cohesive dinner.  The cous cous and tomato-feta salads are inspired by Ina Garten, but the meatballs are mine.  Actually, the truth is I thought I had made lamb meatballs before and searched and searched for a recipe and couldn't find one.  But Ina does have a recipe for lamb kebabs in one of her cookbooks.  However, I already had it in my head that I wanted to make meatballs, not kebabs, and since I couldn't find a recipe I thought I had, I just made it up myself, using some of the ingredients I knew would work.  They were delish!

Today was our first trip back to the playground this year, and I wanted to spend as much time there as possible.  So dinner was a little rushed, and I didn't measure everything like I intend to do when I know I will be writing a post about the recipe.  I will do my best here.

Lamb Meatballs

1 lb ground lamb
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1-2 TB chopped shallot
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
2 TB red wine
2 tsp red wine vinegar
2 TB bread crumbs (to hold the meat together)
1-2 TB fresh rosemary, minced
salt, pepper, fresh parsley to taste

Combine the ingredients and shape meat into balls.  Drizzle a skillet with olive oil and brown the meatballs on 1 or 2 sides.  Finish them off in a 350* oven, for about 10 minutes or until desired temperature.

Cous Cous
Cous Cous is a snap to make!  The hardest part is just having the ingredients ready ahead of time (toasting the pine nuts and chopping the parsley) but it's really no big deal.  This is a great recipe for a simple dish that is the perfect complement to the other dishes tonight that have such a bold flavor.  The recipe makes A LOT of cous cous, we always have plenty leftover for lunches!

3 cups homemade chicken stock
1 1/2 cups cous cous
1 chopped shallot
3-4 TB butter
1 cup dried cranberries (or currants)
1/2 - 1 cup toasted pine nuts
3 TB (or a handful) of fresh chopped parsley
salt, pepper

In a large saucepan, melt the butter and saute the shallot.  Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add the cous cous and cover and turn off the heat.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and add the pine nuts, cranberries, and parsley.  Stir to combine.

Tomato-Feta Salad

There are some bold flavors in this salad.  It's very yummy.  In the summer, I like to find the heirloom tomatoes so there's a color "pop" in the salad.  It also makes a great next-day lunch!
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
5-6 oz feta cheese, cubed
2 TB chopped red onion (or you can keep with the shallot theme)
2-3 TB fresh chopped parsley
2 TB fresh chopped basil
2-3 TB olive oil
1-2 TB white wine vinegar
salt, pepper

Combine all ingredients and mix well.