I added cinnamon and cumin to meatballs for a Moroccan take on my family favorite of meatballs and pasta. To speed up the preparation, I used frozen diced onion and minced garlic for the recipe. The meatballs need to be turned over during cooking; the best way to do this is by using two spatulas, one underneath the meatballs and one on top to help guide them over.
The cilantro couscous is made with pearl (sometimes called Israeli) couscous. It’s a larger version of regular couscous. Strictly speaking, true Israeli couscous is slightly smaller than pearl couscous. Either works for this recipe.
Moroccan Meatballs
Yield 2 servings. Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer
3/4 pound 95 percent lean ground sirloin
1 cup frozen chopped onion
1 egg
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cumin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil
One 14-ounce can low-sodium diced tomatoes with sauce (about 11/2 cups)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons minced garlic
Add ground sirloin, onion, egg, cinnamon, cumin and salt and pepper to taste to a large bowl. Mix all the ingredients together. Roll mixture into meatballs about 2 inches in diameter to make 8 meatballs. Heat canola oil in a medium-size nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, add the meatballs. Brown them for 2 minutes. While meatballs brown, mix the diced tomatoes with the tomato paste and minced garlic in a small bowl. Gently turn meatballs over and continue to cook 2 minutes. Add the tomato mixture, lower the heat to medium low and simmer 5 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 135 degrees.
Per serving: 465 calories (47% from fat), 24.5 g fat (8 g saturated, 11.4 g monounsaturated), 206 mg cholesterol, 39.6 g protein, 20.4 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 180 mg sodium.
