Tender morsels of lamb braised in a red wine sauce is one of my favorite winter stews, so I decided to create a comforting dish made with meatballs. Serve these over some couscous or buttered egg noodles.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg
2 tablespoons whole milk
1/2 cup seasoned Italian breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1 tablespoon dried
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
11/4 pounds ground lamb
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
11/4 cups dry red wine
1 cup beef stock
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon herbes de Provence
Vegetable oil spray
1. Preheat the oven broiler. Line a rimmed baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil, and spray the foil with vegetable oil spray.
2. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent. While vegetables cook, combine egg and milk in a mixing bowl, and whisk until smooth. Add breadcrumbs, rosemary, and parsley, and mix well.
3. Add 1/2 onion mixture and lamb, season to taste with salt and pepper, and mix well again. Make mixture into 11/2-inch meatballs, and arrange meatballs on the prepared pan. Spray tops of meatballs with vegetable oil spray.
4. Broil meatballs 6 inches from the broiler element, turning them with tongs to brown all sides. While meatballs brown, stir flour into the skillet, and cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in wine, stock, tomato paste, and herbes de Provence. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to medium, and simmer sauce, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
5. Remove meatballs from the baking pan with a slotted spoon, and add meatballs to sauce. Bring to a boil, and simmer meatballs, covered, over low heat, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, for 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Note: The lamb mixture can be prepared up to 1 day in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Also, the dish can be cooked up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat in a 350°F oven, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until hot.