Chicken Meatballs And Couscous Recipes

NORTH AFRICAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• To make the North African Sauce:
• In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic until soft but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest and olives and cook for 1 more minute. Add the white wine, deglaze the pan, and let it reduce for a 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, canned tomatoes, sugar, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon, and simmer to blend flavors, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• To make the Meatballs: In a medium bowl, add the egg and tomato paste and stir until smooth. Add the cilantro, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon and mix until well blended. Stir in the ground beef and oats, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and combine gently after each addition. Do not overmix. Rolling with your hands, make about 32 meatballs, about 1-inch in diameter.
• In a large saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat, and brown the meatballs in batches until golden on all sides. Add more oil, as needed. Transfer the meatballs to the pan with the sauce and let simmer for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve over the Couscous with Dried Dates.
• Couscous with Dried Dates:
• Bring the water, stock, and oil to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the dates followed by the couscous. Cover the pan tightly with a lid, remove from the heat, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.
• Yield: 4 servings

MEDITERRANEAN MEATBALLS WITH COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
• Combine beef, bread crumbs, egg, 3 tablespoons mint, 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt, salt, garlic powder, cumin, and pepper in a large bowl. Form into 24 meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until meatballs are no longer pink in the center, about 20 minutes.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add flour. Add beef broth gradually and cook until sauce starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Add meatballs. Whisk in 1/4 cup Greek yogurt and 2 tablespoons mint. Serve over couscous.

NORTH AFRICAN MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat oil over medium-high heat in a wide, heavy bottomed saucepan. Add onion and cook without browning until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, cinnamon and saffron, and stir well to incorporate. Season generously with salt and pepper, and allow to sizzle for 1 minute more. Add broth and simmer gently for 5 minutes. May be made several hours in advance, up to a day.
• Make the meatballs: Put bread cubes and milk in a small bowl. Leave bread to soak until softened, about 5 minutes, then squeeze dry.
• In a mixing bowl, put squeezed-out bread, ground meat and egg. Add salt, pepper, garlic, nutmeg, ginger, turmeric, paprika, cayenne, cloves, coriander and cumin. Mix well with hands to distribute seasoning. Add 2 tablespoons each of parsley, cilantro and scallion, and knead for a minute. May be prepared several hours in advance, up to a day.
• With hands, roll mixture into small round balls about the size of a quarter. Dust balls lightly with flour. Heat a few tablespoons of oil, or a quarter-inch depth, over medium-high heat and fry meatballs until barely browned, about 2 minutes per side. Drain and blot on paper towel. Simmer meatballs in saffron-tomato sauce, covered, over medium heat for about 20 minutes, until tender.
• Meanwhile, make the couscous, if desired: Cook according to package directions, fluff gently and stir in butter and raisins. Season with salt and cinnamon, and toss well.
• Garnish meatballs with remaining parsley, cilantro and scallion. Serve with couscous and roasted tomatoes if desired.

MOROCCAN CHICKEN MEATBALLS WITH PARSLEY SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the parsley, mint, yogurt, and lemon juice in a food processor. Blend until smooth and incorporated. Season with salt to taste. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom. Add the onions. Let cook until tender and slightly caramelized, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and spice blend. Cook for a minute or two longer to allow the garlic and spices to toast. Turn off the heat and let cool slightly.
• In a large mixing bowl, add the fresh breadcrumbs. Pour the warm water over top. Toss well, then let sit for 5 minutes so that the bread can absorb the water.
• Add the ground chicken thigh, ground chicken breast, salt, and onion mixture to the bowl. Use your hands to mix really well. Form the mixture into approximately 16 (2-oz) meatballs.
• Wipe out the skillet and heat again over medium heat. Coat the bottom with more olive oil. Once the oil is hot, place half of the meatballs into the skillet, leaving them about an inch apart. Sear the meatballs on one side until crisp and golden, flip, and sear on the other.
• Transfer the meatballs to a sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining meatballs. Once all of the meatballs are seared, transfer them to the oven to finish cooking for about 6-8 minutes, or until fully cooked through.
• Meanwhile, combine the water, salt, and olive oil in a saucepan for the couscous. Bring to a boil. Stir in the couscous, cover with a lid, turn off the heat, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff the couscous with a fork.
• Use a mandolin to shave the cucumbers thin. Toss with the lemon juice.
• Mound the couscous onto a serving plate. Place the meatballs on top. Spoon the parsley yogurt sauce over the meatballs. Garnish with the cucumbers, toasted pecans, feta cheese, and scallions. Drizzle olive oil over everything to finish. Tear more mint and parsley on top (optional).

MOROCCAN MEATBALLS & COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Combine lamb, onion, harissa and flat leaf parsley and season, roll into golf ball sized meatballs and fry off in medium hot pan until coloured.
• In a heavy based pan, fry the onion, garlic and ginger until softened, add the spices and cook for 1-2 minutes
• Add the tomatoes and apricots, then add the meatballs, top up with the stock and cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes After 20 mins add the honey and season.
• Place the couscous in a bowl and pour over the boiling stock, cover with plastic wrap and leave to stand for 5 mins, fork through to separate the grains then add chopped herbs, toasted almonds, lemon juice ,olive oil and salt and pepper and mix.
• Serve with toasted pita bread.

CHEESY BAKED TURKEY MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Combine the chicken, Parmesan, seasoning, egg and breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl. I used panko breadcrumbs but feel free to use Italian breadcrumbs or fresh.
• With wet hands, form the meatballs and place on a parchment lined plate or chopping board.
• Heat a large skillet or pan (Use a slightly deeper pan to make sure the sauce doesn't boil over) over medium-high heat.
• Add a splash of oil then add the meatballs, cooking in batches until they are golden brown on all sides. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• In the same pan you cooked the meatballs, add chopped onion and cook for a few minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and herbs and cook for a few seconds until fragrant.
• Pour in the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, herbs, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes then carefully add the meatballs to the sauce. Cook for another 10 minutes while the pasta cooks. If the sauce looks like it's reducing too much, add ½-1 cup water or stock.
• Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted, boiling water until al dente, approximately 10 minutes (depending on shape). Drain then add to the pan with the meatballs and sauce and toss well.
• Serve topped with Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

CHICKEN MEATBALLS AND COUSCOUS

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frying pan and add carrots and onion. Fry for 1-2 mins.
• Put carrot and onion into a large mixing bowl and add 500g chicken mince, 2 tbsp of paste and 100g of chopped mint.
• Season and mix together well. Shape the mixture into meatballs., add 1 tbsp of olive oil to the pan and cook the meatballs until golden. Remove from the pan.
• Add chopped tomatoes to the pan with another tbsp of paste and stir together and season.
• Put the meatballs into the sauce and simmer for 15 mins.
• Meanwhile prepare 200g couscous and stir through the remainder of the chopped mint.
• Serve the meatballs with couscous, flat bread and lemon wedges.