Garlicky lamb meatball soup with Cranberry Beans

First time I try these fresh Romano beans, or cranberry beans, and boy are they gorgeous!
I think these fresh beans are becoming one of my favourite things, this year I've taken every opportunity to scoop up fresh fava beans anywhere I find them. There is nothing easier and more delicious when you can just shell them, lightly boil them and then add them to recipes or just mash them up with a bit of fresh garlic, drizzle of GOOD olive oil and squeeze of fresh lemon juice... on toast or just eat it with a spoon!

With these beans I wanted to do something more hearty and warm so it's lamb meatball soup today. Mini summer lamb meatballs in a garlicky chicken broth with romano beans and tiny pastas.


Start by shelling your romano/cranberry beans and boil them for 15-20 minutes or until tender in a smalls saucepan of water. Add salt half way through cooking. (if you prefer you could boil them in stock)

Start with the meatballs:

1 lb ground lamb

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp fresh thyme, minced

zest of half a lemon

salt and black pepper

1 tsp lemon juice
1 clove smashed garlic

Blend it all together and form small balls. Fry the meatballs in olive oil in a large pot. They will stick so just let them be until they release themselves from the bottom of the pan, it's ok if you only brown one side.

Set the meatballs aside and in the oil used from frying the meatballs (you can remove some if there is too much) sautee the pasta noodles (toast them!) on medium high heat stirring constantly until they look toasty and golden.

Add your fresh garlic, soup cube and water. Cook until noodles are al dante.

Add meatballs to bowl, top with drained pasta and beans. Add fresh broth over (to avoid the soup looking murky unless you prefer to have some thickness them use the noodle broth)
 Top and garnish with fresh thyme. Enjoy!

Crispy mini lamb pita bites

Crispy mini lamb pita bites with herbaceous yogurt sauce

- 1 lb ground lamb

- 1 or 2 packages mini pitas (whole wheat or white) 

- 1 egg

- 1 bunch parsley

- 1 bunch cilantro

- 1/4 red or white onion, finely diced

- 4 garlic cloves, grated or microphlaned 

- Salt & black pepper

- 1 tsp dry mint

- 1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

- 2 tsp pomegranate molasses

- Juice of half a small lime or 1 tbsp lemon juice + zest if you desire

- 1 tbsp olive oil

- 1 tsp sumac (totally optional)

- Mix all of the above, set aside to marinade.

You will also need some oil for pan frying later, olive oil and a plane oil (about a few tbsp of each)

Meanwhile for sauce: 

- 1 1/2 cups plain bulkan yogurt

- 1 large bunch dill, finely chopped

- 1 clove garlic, grated

- 1 bunch cilantro (about 2 tbsp chopped)

- 1 bunch of chives, chopped

- 1/2 tsp dry mint or 1 bunch fresh mint 

Dressing:

Salt & black pepper

- Lemon or lime juice

- 1/2 tbsp vinegar or juice from pickle jar.

Blend the above together and let it sit in fridge and just before serving season with salt and add lemon/vinegar mixture.

For meatballs, prepare pitas by gently slicing the side open (if they crumble a little it's ok, it's easier to make this recipe with fresh pitas but I had bought mine in advance and threw them in the freezer and after thawing they crumbled a bit on me)

Take a handful of meat about the size of a golf ball and stuff your pitas by placing the ball of meat inside and then once the pita flap is closed just press lightly to create a sort of "burger"

Set aside and when ready to fry heat some olive oil along with a plain oil in a skillet on medium, it's better to get the olive oil really hot to sear the outside and then lower it to finish cooking the lamb inside.  I hope my video will better describe this part as it's a bit tricky but you should be able to achieve a nice crispy outter layer. 

Serve warm and fresh with seasoned yogurt sauce and enjoy!

It seems in this house there is no head chef, there is only a headless one because for some reason it seems I'm always adjusting my camera angle wrong and chopping my head off, haha.  I really need to pay more attention to this.  It wont happen again, I promise.  Twice is just enough!

Today was a super busy day with having my new windows installed throughout most of the house.  It did not help either that I haven't had a good night's sleep because one of my kitties got into the habit of chewing at my foot. ( excuse my tired appearance in the video and you'll see me glancing over to check on the guys coming in and out from time to time as they work)

This recipe was so easy and yummy, it's a keeper and will be making it again, especially if I can find those little pitas on sale again (they're usually so pricey!)

The kitties could not wait for the next morning to inspect the new windows that were installed.  They're just LOVING it!