These moist and flavorful Persian Meatballs come packed with chopped pistachios, cilantro, dried cherries and warm spices. Draped in a quick and easy pan sauce with chopped shallots this was perfect and made in under 30 minutes.
From Friday’s post of my Portuguese Bread and Garlic Soup with Cilantro and Fresh Shrimp we move East for a little Persian influenced meal. Because that’s how we roll over here. We go International – Big and Bold!
These little meatballs start off with ground lamb or turkey, are browned in a skillet and are quite delightful in texture and taste. The sweet and tangy dried cherry adds an unexpected flavor element to the palette and the chopped pistachios do for texture. Feel free to substitute dried cranberries for the dried cherries if you like, or if you don’t have any on hand.
The pan sauce keeps these coated and were perfect alongside some steamed basmati rice and a salad.
What I love about Persian food is the use of herbs mixed with fruits such as cherries, plums, pomegranates, apricots, prunes and raisins. The flavorful combinations of rice with meat, usually lamb, but also chicken, or fish and vegetables and nuts is a texture and flavorful experience.
In this dish I include the chopped pistachios in the meat prior to browning them.
Some of the usual Persian flavors such as saffron, dried lime and cinnamon are mixed to achieve a wonderful balance, and as in this dish, are to awaken the tastebuds!
In a skillet over medium heat, toast the celery seed, coriander, cumin and fennel seeds until aromatic, just a minute or two tops. Don’t burn them, you just want to release their essential oils. Grind in a spice grinder.
In a bowl add the lamb or turkey, toasted and ground spices, pistachios, dried cherries, cilantro, breadcrumbs and egg. Mix together by hand until incorporated completely. Add more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too wet. Use a 2-inch scoop or roll into 16 small balls, about the size of a golf ball. Set aside.
In a large frying pan add the olive oil and brown the meatballs on all sides. Remove from pan and keep warm.
Over medium heat in the same pan sauté the shallot until translucent. Add the flour and cook for a minute, stirring to cook the flour. Gradually add the chicken stock to deglaze the pan a little at a time, stirring to pick up all the little browned bits and incorporate completely.
Add the cooked meatballs back to the pan and turn to coat all over with pan dripping sauce. Cover with lid and cook on low to heat through. Season with salt if needed. Serve with rice.
Persian Meatballs with Dried Cherries and Pistachios
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground lamb (or turkey See Note1)
- 2 tbsp pistachios chopped
- 1/4 cup dried cherries chopped
- 1/2 tsp celery seed
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp fennel seed
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 diced shallot
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
Instructions
- In a skillet over medium heat, toast the celery seed, coriander, cumin and fennel seeds until aromatic, just a minute or two tops. Don’t burn them,you just want to release their essential oils. Grind in a spice grinder.
- In a bowl add the lamb, toasted and ground spices, pistachios, dried cherries, cilantro, breadcrumbs and egg. Mix together by hand until incorporated completely. Add more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too wet. Use a 1 1/2-inch scoop or roll into small balls, about the size of a golf ball. Set aside.
- In a large frying pan add the olive oil and brown the meatballs on all sides. Remove from pan and keep warm.
- Over medium heat in the same pan sauté the shallot until translucent. Add the flour and cook for a minute, stirring to cook the flour. Gradually add the chicken stock a little at a time, stirring to incorporate completely. Add the cooked meatballs back to the pan and turn to coat all over with pan dripping sauce. Cover with lid and cook on low to heat through. Season with salt if needed. Serve with rice.
Notes
- Ground turkey or chicken can be substituted for the ground lamb if that is not to your liking, but I highly recommend you try it.
This was a really good recipe. I browned the meatballs and then put them in a small casserole and covered them in crushed tomatoes with a little mint and baked them for 30 minutes at 350. Served with rice, a Persian cucumber salad and plain Greek yogurt with a squeeze of lemon. Delicious.
I am so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for sharing!
Why sub turkey for lamb? That seems like it would really take away from the authenticity. Being Greek, substituting turkey for lamb , say in souvlaki is incomprehensible! Is there a reason? Otherwise this sounds great but I’ll stick with lamb! 😉
It’s all about the lamb, but not everyone likes the flavor. It’s just a substitute offering. Cheers Kathy.
Sound amazing got to try these
Definitely, thanks Karl. 🙂