Pistachio-Pomegranate Meatballs

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

For meatballs

· Onion, 1 small, peeled and cut into 4

· Pistachio, 1.5 cups, shelled

· Breadcrumbs, 1/4 cup

· Chopped parsley, 2 cups

· Chopped tarragon, 1 cup

· Chopped cilantro, 1 cup

· Fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon

· Red pepper flakes,1 teaspoon

· Ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon

· Ground cumin,1 tablespoon

· Salt, 2 teaspoons

· Ground lamb, 900 grams (or ground chicken or turkey thighs; or boned and skinned ground fish fillets)

· Egg, 1

· Cooking oil, 1/2 cup

For glaze

· Pomegranate paste, 3/4 cup

· Honey or grape molasses (Shahd-e Angoor), 1/4 cup

· Salt, 1 teaspoon

· Black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon

· Red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon

For garnish

· Sprigs of basil, sprouts, mint

·  Fresh pomegranate arils (Poost-e Sefid-e Anar), 1 cup

Directions

To make the meatballs: Pulse all the ingredients, except the meat and egg, in a food processor until you have a grainy paste.

Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add the meat and egg. Lightly knead with your hands for a few minutes (do not overmix). Cover and place in the refrigerator for 1 to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 500ثڑF (260ثڑC). Generously oil a wide, nonreactive baking dish (wide enough to fit 24 meatballs, about 25x30-cm) and set aside.

Remove the paste from the refrigerator and shape into bite-sized balls (about 1.5 tablespoons each). Place the meatballs in the baking dish and brush well with oil. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the glaze. It is important that you taste the glaze and be sure that it has a good balance between sweet and sour; add more honey if the pomegranate paste you have used is too sour.

Reduce the oven to 400ثڑF (200ثڑC). Glaze the meatballs and bake for another 5 minutes to infuse them with the flavor of the pomegranate. Adjust seasoning to taste. If too sour, add more honey; if too sweet, add more pomegranate paste.Keep warm in the oven until ready to serve.

Place the meatballs with its sauce in deep serving dish and garnish.

Source: iran-daily.com

Other links:

Iranian cooking: Khoresht Karafs

Iranian cooking: Khoresht Baamieh

Iranian cooking: Loobia Polow

Iranian cooking: Shirin-Polow