Lamb Meatballs with Green Beans

I just love ground meat, especially during a dial-in. The meat says tender and moist, and with the addition of different herbs and spices you can totally alter the flavor, (these have some fresh mint mixed in, a bright note), and you can easily portion them to suit your dietary requirements. I prefer to shape mine into 1 oz portions, so I can grab 2 or 4, depending on which meal I am preparing.
Green beans are a real powerhouse vegetable from the garden. 1 cup has over 100% of the RDA of Vitamin K, an essential vitamin for bone health, (it helps calcium anchor to the bone), and has twice the iron of spinach. They’re also a diuretic, helpful during the last stages of dieting.

what you need

for the meatballs
1 lb of ground lamb
1/2 spring onion, minced
1 whole egg, beaten
2 tsp tamari
1 – 2 T whole wheat bread crumbs
1 T fresh mint, slivered
pinch salt

Simply mix everything together with your hands, and form into small balls, (I like to make 1 oz portions) by tossing back-and-forth between your hands. Get a skillet going over med-high heat, and place your meatballs so they have some room apart, (you don’t want them to sweat together). The lamb should have enough fat that you don’t need to add any more to your pan, but it’s your call. Don’t overcook these little guys, and make sure you let them sit for at least a minute or two on one side before turning them over, so that they develop some nice color and flavor. When you flip them, resist pressing them as this expresses the beautiful juices that you are trying to lock into the meat by searing the outsides!
When they are under, (after about 3 – 4 minutes) remove from the pan and let drain on a paper towel.

for the beans
4 cups of green beans, cut fairly thin (1/4″) on a sharp diagonal
zest of a lemon, (1 tsp max)
1 T butter
1 T water
1/2 clove garlic
2 tsp minced chives
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in the pan, and add the beans , stirring often, for about a minute, then add the water, a pinch of salt and cover. Cook for another until tender and a bright green in color. Rub a bowl with the garlic clove, add the green beans, the lemon zest and salt and pepper to taste, top with fresh chives, and your done!

*The zest of a lemon is simply a grating of the skin, not including the pith, the white part under the peel. It imparts a bright flavor to fruit without adding bitterness. A great seasoning ingredient when you are dialing in.

In this photo I topped my meatballs with some creamy horseradish sauce, but honestly they are so great on their own, you really don’t need to add anything. You can make your own version with white horseradish in a jar whisked into a little bit of sour cream or creme fraiche if you have it.