Turkey Meatballs Moroccan Style

These delicious meatballs in a tangy, spicy vegetable stew are easy, healthy, and easy to make. You can make them with ground beef or turkey or chicken. They are even better the next day, after the flavors really develop. Serve with couscous and the carrot salad featured in my Middle Eastern Menu and repeated below. This recipe serves 3-4, but it multiplies easily and is great for a crowd.

Moroccan Meatball Stew

For the Meatball Mixture:
1 lb. ground Turkey or Beef
1 small onion minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
1 egg
1/3 cup panko or bread crumbs
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne or Aleppo pepper

Heat oven to broil.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil, pour on about a tablespoon of oil.
In a medium bowl mix above ingredients, kneading with your hands or a fork until well blended. Using about 1 Tbls. of mixture, form into meatballs. Put the meatballs onto the baking sheet, rolling slightly in the oil. Broil, turning once or twice until slightly brown, about 15 minutes.
(If you prefer, you can brown the meatballs in a frying pan in a bit of olive oil).

Remove the meatballs to a plate. Reserve.

For the Sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 carrots chopped
2 medium onions chopped
3 cloves garlic chopped
1 (35 oz) can diced Marzano Tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
salt and cayenne or Aleppo pepper to taste ( I like about 1 tsp of each)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Heat oil in a frying pan or skillet, add onions, carrots, and garlic, and cook, stirring until onions are lightly brown and carrots soften. Add tomatoes, parsley, lemon juice, and spices. Simmer uncovered, stirring often about 15 minutes.

Return Meatballs to skillet and cook, partiallly covered until sauce is thickened and meatballs are cooked through, about 20 minutes. (Alternatively, you can put the meatballs and the sauce into a baking dish, cover, and bake at 350 for half an hour.)

Serve hot with cooked whole wheat couscous or Israeli couscous.
Make the couscous according to package directions. Add in any or all of the following:
1/4 cup dried cranberries or cut up dried apricots,
chopped parsley,
cut up green beans,
nuts, olives, or whatever you like

MORROCCAN CARROT SALAD 

 4-5 large Carrots

half a cup of pitted black olives

a handful of fresh chives, scallions, mint, parsley as desired coarsly chopped

1 lemon

3 Tbs. good olive oil

cumin, salt and pepper to taste

Wash and grate 4-5 large carrots into a mixing bowl.  Mix in slivered black olives, and chives or cilantro.
Wash lemon, and grate the yellow part of the rind into the salad. Then squeeze the juice into the mixture. (Did you know that if you microwave a lemon for about 20 seconds, it makes it easier to juice? Ditto, roll it on the counter with the palm of your hand). Add in the olive oil, and about 1/2 tsp cumin (more if you love cumin) and salt and pepper.

• You can also add in grated radish for a spicier touch
• sprinkle in a teaspoon or so of honey or agave syrup and some raisins if you like a sweeter version
• mix in a can of chick peas, rinsed if you suddenly have extra guests