Roasted Lamb Meatballs with Red Sauce and Polenta
Ingredients
- 3 slices whole wheat bread, crusts discarded, chopped
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 pounds ground lamb
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2 large cloves garlic, grated
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus more for brushing
- 1 red onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- One can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes (28 ounces)
- 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half
- 1 cup polenta
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary
Preparation
Pre-heat the oven to 400°.
In a bowl, moisten the bread with 1/3 cup chicken broth. Add the lamb, egg, garlic, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Form the mixture into 8 meatballs. Brush with EVOO and set 2 inches apart on a rimmed nonstick baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon EVOO , 1 turn of the pan, over medium heat. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper and cook until softened, 8-10 minutes. Add the vinegar and cook it off, 1 minute. Stir in 2/3 cup chicken broth, then the tomatoes. Bring the sauce just to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
In a medium saucepan, bring the remaining 2 cups chicken broth and the milk to a boil. Whisk in the polenta, lower the heat and cook, whisking, until the polenta is thick but spoonable, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the honey, butter, rosemary and salt and pepper to taste. If it gets too thick, add water or more milk.
Spoon the polenta into bowls; top with the meatballs and sauce.
