Ingredients:

1 lb ground lamb
1 shallot, grated
2 cloves garlic, grated
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
3 tablespoons chopped dill
zest of one lemon
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
salt
pepper
olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

Mix the lamb, shallot, garlic, parsley, dill, zest, oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined. Roll into 2 1/2 inch balls. Place on the baking sheet. Brush with olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes or until just fully cooked. For best results do not overbake! Broil for a minute or two if you want more browning for appearance (lamb stays pretty pink when baked!). Drain on paper towel-lined plates if needed. Serve hot or at room temperature.

My thoughts:

It has been quite a summer. A major family illness has affected not only the afflicted but all of us and I haven’t been cooking as much as usual or as many varied things. I had picked up some lamb at Aldi and it sat in the refrigerator for over a week (it had a very good expiration date!) because I felt like I should make something super exciting with it and it seemed overwhelming to make lamb and then some worthy sides. Then I had the idea to take it easy on myself and make these delicious meatballs but serve them with some beet hummus (also from Aldi), mini pita (Aldi), mini cucumbers (Aldi), stuffed grape leaves (Trader Joe’s), marinated eggplant and tomatoes (Trader Joe’s), and feta (Aldi). It was a delicious weeknight meal and only took minimal effort. Perfect for hot days or times of crisis.