I've made these meatballs a number of times, and they're always a crowd favorite. It's something about the cinnamon/nutmeg spice + lamb + sesame + mint + yogurt combo that makes one drool. I even follow the recipe and put raisins in them, even though I hate raisins with the fire of a thousand suns.

They're actually easy to make (you only have to chop a couple things), so I'd recommend giving it a shot! They also re-heat very well so you can make a batch and enjoy them for several meals. Watch out for sesame seeds in your teeth, though--it's inevitable.

I served them recently with a couscous salad with roasted potatoes, tomatoes, cucumber, and corn.


The recipe comes from Epicurious:

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup minced onion
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried mint, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• a pinch cinnamon
• 1 pound ground lamb (10% fat)
• 1 cup fine fresh bread crumbs
• 1 large egg, beaten lightly
• 2 tablespoons dried currants
• 1/4 cup black sesame seeds*
• 1/4 cup white sesame seeds, toasted lightly

Accompaniment--minted yogurt dip:

• 2 cups plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup packed fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

*available at Asian markets and some specialty foods shops and supermarkets
((I usually just get black sesame seeds, though it's fun to mix them and have half black, half white sesame seeds if you're serving them for a party or something))


Preparation

To make the meatballs:

• In a small non-stick skillet cook onion and garlic in oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until softened. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in mint, salt, allspice, and cinnamon. Add lamb, bread crumbs, egg, and currants and combine well. Form level tablespoons of lamb mixture into 1 1/4-inch meatballs, arranging on a tray as formed.
• In a small bowl roll half of meatballs, 1 at a time, in black sesame seeds until coated, transferring to a rack set in a shallow baking pan. Coat remaining meatballs with white sesame seeds in same manner, transferring to rack. Meatballs may be prepared up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, covered loosely.
• Preheat oven to 450°F.
• Bake meatballs in upper third of oven 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden and just cooked through.

To make the yogurt dip:

• In a fine sieve set over a bowl drain yogurt, covered and chilled, 3 hours. Discard whey in bowl and transfer yogurt cheese to bowl. Yogurt cheese may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.
• Into yogurt cheese stir mint and salt. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
• NOTE: I just buy a small container of nonfat Greek yogurt, and add salt and mint to it. This way you can skip the discarding-the-whey step.