Turkish-Style Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce

Last Year's Post: Teriyaki Citrus Chicken Salad
Two Years Ago:   Cabbage and Spring Onion Tart

I'm always interested in foods that crop up in many different cuisines around the world, like flat breads or chicken and rice, or meatballs.  This meatball recipe caught my eye because of the Turkish spices and yogurt sauce, and because it looked lighter and healthier than your average meatballs in red sauce.

I'm not normally a meatball fan because in my experience they tend to be heavy and huge.  I was really pleasantly surprised to find that these were small, moist, tender and light with a really interesting mix of spices.  The real kicker, though, is the yogurt sauce.  Wow, is that good.

The recipe specified using a plain, very tart yogurt which launched me on an internet search that led to White Mountain Bulgarian Yogurt, which is plain and tart and made with just milk and live cultures with nothing else added.  I found it at my local Sprouts store but it's also available in several supermarket chains and many health food stores.  Yes, it's tart, but in a wonderful lemony kind of way and it's absolutely perfect for this dish.  I plan to buy it as my go-to plain yogurt in the future.  If you don't have a tart yogurt, thin a plain Greek yogurt with milk and lemon juice instead.

The combination of the spiced meatballs, creamy yogurt sauce and bright herbs is just wonderful.  I had to force myself to stop eating because I kept wanting just one more meatball, which is saying something from a non-meatball person.  Note that the meat mixture is combined at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours in advance to allow the spices to permeate the meat, so be sure to plan ahead.

I served it with orzo, but rice or couscous would work equally well.  Serve a tomato and cucumber salad on the side.  I'm planning to warm up the leftover meatballs and sauce and serve them in fresh pitas with tomato, red onion, cucumber and feta as sandwiches in the next few days, and can hardly wait.

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Turkish-Style Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce

Serves 4

Note:  the meat mixture needs to be refrigerated for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours in advance so plan ahead.

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1/3 cup milk

1 pound ground turkey or lamb

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup finely diced red onion

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of cayenne

3 eggs

Extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup plain, very tart yogurt such as White Mountain Bulgarian Yogurt (if using Greek-style yogurt, thin it with milk and lemon juice)

1 tablespoon cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water

2 ounces crumbled feta cheese

½ teaspoon sumac

Crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Turmeric, for garnish (optional)

3 tablespoons chopped mint

2 tablespoons chopped dill

Cilantro sprigs

Hot cooked rice, orzo, couscous or pita bread, for serving

In a small skillet, toast the ground cumin and coriander for a minute or two, stirring, until fragrant.  Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, pour the milk over the breadcrumbs and allow to soak for 5 – 10 minutes.  Drain the breadcrumbs, then add them to the turkey along with the salt, pepper, onion, toasted cumin and coriander, cinnamon and cayenne.  Use your hands to combine all ingredients gently but thoroughly.  Beat 2 of the eggs and add them to the meat mixture, mixing until incorporated.  Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 24 hours to allow the seasonings to permeate the meat.

Using wet hands, break off walnut-sized pieces (approximately 1 ounce) of the meat mixture and roll into balls.  Set aside on a baking sheet.  You should have 16-20 meatballs.

Heat the oven to 350d.  Cover one baking sheet with paper towels and a second baking sheet with aluminum foil.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high heat.  When shimmering, add meatballs in one layer and brown for 2-3 minutes, then gently turn and cook 4-5 minutes more.  (You will probably need to do 2 batches to avoid crowding the pan.)  Transfer the meatballs to the baking sheet with paper towels to blot any extra oil, then to the foil-lined baking sheet.  When all the meatballs have been browned, transfer the foil-lined baking sheet to the oven to finish cooking while you make the sauce.

Using the same skillet, pour off any excess oil and turn the heat to medium-high.  Add broth and bring to a simmer, using a wooden spoon to deglaze the pan.  In a bowl, whisk together the yogurt, ½ teaspoon salt, the remaining egg (beaten), and the cornstarch mixture.   Pour yogurt mixture in a thin stream into the hot broth, whisking constantly.  Turn heat down slightly and continue whisking until the yogurt is heated through and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.  Do not let mixture boil.

Pour the hot yogurt sauce over meatballs.  Sprinkle crumbled feta, sumac and crushed red pepper on top.  Finish with pinches of turmeric, if using, and sprinkle with mint, dill and cilantro.  Serve immediately with rice, orzo, pita bread or couscous.

Grilled Salmon and Pineapple with Avocado Dressing

Last Year's Post: French Rhubarb Tarts
Two Years Ago:  Pesto Pasta with Edamame, Spinach and Almonds

My favorite recipes are fresh, delicious and good for you.  This one fits the bill on all three accounts - fresh herbs, juicy sweet pineapple, and rich meaty salmon - all grilled up for a fabulous summer dinner.

I was having a little trouble finding fresh pineapple rings and I'm basically too lazy to make my own out of a whole pineapple, so I did a little calling around and found a grocery store that had fresh rings that happened to be on The Lawyer's way home.  The first thing you might want to understand about The Lawyer is his motto - "when in doubt, buy extra".  Over time this has led to various excesses arriving at our house (three types of salsa, four kinds of canned tomatoes, etc.) to the point where I've learned (that's what happens in relationships over time, you learn) to be very specific when he's going to stop at the store.  "One can of whole tomatoes. Just one small can. Not two."

Anyway, I thought I was fairly specific about pineapple rings but apparently not specific enough.  He arrived home without said pineapple rings ("they were wrapped too tight and had been squished into ovals") but with a package of pineapple slabs ("they look pretty") and a whole pineapple that had been peeled and cored.  OK, I could make the whole pineapple work - it's easy to slice - but we now have pineapple for the next month.  He definitely covers all the bases.

The pineapple rings get brushed with fresh herb oil and grilled right along side the salmon.  If you've never had grilled pineapple, it's a real treat - slightly smoky and warm while still firm and sweet.  After grilling you simply spoon the avocado herb dressing (note:  make at least 15 minutes in advance) over everything and serve.  It tastes fresh, light and very gourmet.

If you have any leftovers (doubtful), chop and mix them with any remaining dressing and some couscous or rice for a great salad the next day.

printable recipe

Grilled Salmon and Pineapple with Avocado Dressing

Serves 4

Avocado Dressing:

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

1/8 teaspoon anchovy paste, optional

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 small clove garlic, smashed

½ avocado, diced

For the salmon and pineapple:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh basil, plus sprigs for garnish

1 ½ teaspoons chopped fresh chives

1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon, plus sprig for garnish

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Four 4-ounce skinless salmon fillets, about 1” thick

Four ½” thick round slices (rings) of fresh pineapple

Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor.  Add 2 tablespoons of water and process until smooth.  Cover the dressing and let stand for 15 minutes to 1 hour for the flavors to blend.

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.

Whisk the oil, basil, chives, tarragon, salt and pepper in a small bowl to blend.  Brush the salmon and pineapple slices with the herb oil mixture.

Cook the salmon until barely cooked through and still pink inside, about 4 minutes per side.  Cook the pineapple until it has nice grill marks, 3 to 4 minutes per side.

To serve, place one pineapple ring on each plate and top with salmon.  Spoon avocado dressing over the salmon.  Garnish with basil and tarragon sprigs. 

Spaghetti with Chicken, Herbs and Cherry Tomatoes

Last Year's Post: Pasta Primavera
Two Years Ago:  Ravioli with Apples and Walnuts

Spaghetti doesn't always come to mind as a spring or summer food, mainly because we normally associate it with a heavy red sauce and meatballs.  This dish is quite different - vibrant with herbs, lemon and fresh cherry tomatoes, it's actually best served at room temperature rather than hot or cold like a pasta salad.  There's something very summery and refreshing about lemon, herbs and tomatoes, don't you think?

I found the original recipe online and was attracted to it because it's so pretty.  I made some significant changes along the way - decreasing some ingredients, increasing others, and serving it at room temperature - to make more to my preference.  Before I made it, I thought it was going to need an additional ingredient or two - preferably crunchy and/or green - because it seemed too simple.....pasta, herbs, chicken, tomatoes.  I was happy to find out it doesn't need anything else at all.  But because it's a relatively simple dish, the quality and proportions of the ingredients are important.  Use the freshest herbs and freshly-squeezed lemon juice, and seriously consider splurging on the more expensive Parmigiano-Reggiano (rather than regular parmesan) because it's a important component in the finished dish. If you use regular parmesan it'll still be good, just not as good.

A couple of other key points make a big difference as well.  First, note that the chicken is marinated  so plan ahead - overnight is preferable for the best flavor.  And when you cook the chicken, let it saute undisturbed for a couple of minutes to develop a nice brown color - browning helps deepen the flavor.  But don't worry about browning the second side - if you do, the chicken will probably get over-cooked and dry.  Just be sure the chicken is almost cooked through before removing it from the pan, and let carry-over cooking take care of the rest.

The next tip is to use lots of fresh herbs, and add some of them right before serving when everything is at room temperature so the herbs don't wilt and lose their bright taste.  Parsley is a key (and often over-looked) herb here.  And finally, be sure to serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over everything - that bright hit of lemon heightens all the other flavors and makes it even more summery.

printable recipe

Spaghetti with Chicken, Herbs and Cherry Tomatoes

Makes 4 servings

10-12 oz boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into bite-sized pieces)

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, finely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of ½ a lemon

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (plus more to moisten the pasta)

½ teaspoon coarse salt (not table salt)

½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

8 oz dry spaghetti

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (to sauté the marinated chicken)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 large clove garlic, finely minced

2 cups whole small cherry tomatoes plus more for garnish (Optional)

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup parsley, chopped, divided

½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, divided

1 lemon, quartered

Add the thyme and next six ingredients (through black pepper) to the chicken pieces in a large zip-top bag and marinate refrigerated for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight (much better).

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti al dente according to package directions.  Drain well; drizzle with a little olive oil and toss to prevent sticking. Set aside to cool.

Drain the chicken pieces.  Preheat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat and add the chicken pieces; spread out into one layer and allow to cook undisturbed for approximately 2 minutes until golden.  Flip the chicken pieces and turn the heat down to medium low; continue to cook for approximately 2 more minutes until almost cooked through (they will continue to cook somewhat as they cool). Remove from pan and set aside to cool.

In the same sauté pan, add butter and olive oil over medium-low heat until the butter melts.  Sauté garlic until fragrant and soft, about 1 minute.    Add cherry tomatoes and cook until softened and slightly collapsed, 3-4 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

 Add the chicken pieces to the tomato mixture, then toss with the cooked spaghetti.  Add the basil, half of the parsley and half of the Parmigiano-Reggiano to the dish and let cool completely to room temperature. Moisten with a little additional olive oil if the pasta looks dry after cooling.  Before serving, taste and adjust seasonings, then finish the dish with the remaining chopped parsley and grated cheese (serve extra on the side if desired).  Garnish with a few extra cherry tomatoes on top, optional.  Serve with lemon quarters for squeezing on top.