Food & Cooking Recipes Lamb Meatballs with Cucumbers and Herbs Be the first to rate & review! By Jess Damuck Jess Damuck Jess Damuck is a freelance writer for MarthaStewart.com. Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 28, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Linda Pugliese Yield: 2 to 4 Serves Flecked with coriander, cinnamon, and cumin, lamb meatballs rest on a bed of dill, parsley, and mint in this composed salad that takes cues from Middle Eastern cuisine. Serve them with a swipe of labneh and quick-pickled red onions and golden raisins—and enjoy the culinary journey. This recipe is featured in the cookbook Salad Freak: Recipes to Feed a Healthy Obsession ($26.99, amazon.com). Ingredients ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced ⅓ cup golden raisins ¼ cup red-wine vinegar 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper, plus more for serving ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon Kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal) and freshly ground black pepper 1 pound ground lamb ½ bunch fresh parsley 1 bunch fresh mint 1 bunch fresh dill ½ cup plain (or fresh) breadcrumbs 1 egg, lightly beaten 2 cloves garlic 6 Persian cucumbers, halved and thinly sliced on the bias Extra-virgin olive oil ½ cup labneh, or sheep's-milk or Greek-style yogurt 1 lemon Directions Preheat oven to 450°F. Combine onion, raisins, and vinegar and let soak, tossing every now and then so everything gets vinegary. Put coriander and cumin seeds in a skillet and cook over medium heat, shaking skillet around a lot quite vigorously to move them around. When they start to smell fragrant and toasty, after a minute or two, transfer to a mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or cutting board. Crush them up just a bit and transfer to a large bowl. Add Aleppo pepper, cinnamon, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and ground lamb to bowl with spices. Chop leaves from parsley and half of mint and dill; add to bowl. Add breadcrumbs and egg and grate in 1 clove garlic; use your hands to mix and combine. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Divide mixture into 12 balls and put on sheet. Bake 12 to 15 minutes for medium (about 145°F on an instant-read thermometer). Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine cucumbers, pickled-onion mixture, and 1 handful each parsley and mint leaves. Season with salt and black pepper and drizzle with a little oil. Put labneh in another bowl; grate in remaining 1 clove garlic and zest of lemon. Season with Aleppo pepper and salt. Swoop mixture onto your serving plate or platter with the back of a spoon. Top with salad and meatballs. Cut zested lemon into wedges and serve alongside. Cook's Notes Excerpted from the new book Salad Freak: Recipes to Feed a Healthy Obsession ($26.99, amazon.com), by Jess Damuck, published by Abrams. Text © 2022 by Jess Damuck. Photography by Linda Pugliese. Rate it Print