Moroccan-Style Turkey Meatballs
By Andrew JanjigianPublished on July 25, 2016
Time
1½ hours
Yield
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces1 ½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin 1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)½ cup chopped fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon paprika 1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander Salt and pepper ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry1 ½ pounds 85 or 93 percent lean ground turkey 1 large egg, lightly beaten1 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons tomato paste ¼ teaspoon ground ginger 1 cup chicken broth ¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
Before You Begin
Serve with white rice or couscous.
Instructions
- Pulse bread in food processor until finely ground, 10 to 15 pulses; transfer bread crumbs to large bowl. Add gelatin, Parmesan, 2 tablespoons cilantro, parsley, 2 teaspoons paprika, cumin, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne and mix until thoroughly combined. Pulse carrots and anchovies in food processor until carrots are chopped fine, 10 to 15 pulses. Add carrot mixture, turkey, and egg to bowl with bread-crumb mixture and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Divide mixture into 16 portions (about 1/4 cup each). Using your hands, roll each portion into ball; transfer meatballs to plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Pulse onion in food processor until finely chopped, 10 to 15 pulses. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add meatballs and cook until well browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer meatballs to paper towel–lined plate, leaving fat in skillet.
- Add tomato paste, ginger, and onion to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Increase heat to high; add broth, saffron, ¼ cup cilantro, remaining 1 teaspoon paprika, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon cayenne; and bring to simmer. Return meatballs to skillet, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until meatballs register 160 degrees, 12 to 15 minutes, turning meatballs once. Transfer meatballs to platter, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer sauce until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over meatballs, garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro, and serve.
Time
1½ hoursYield
Serves 4 to 6Ingredients
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon paprika
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry
1 ½ pounds 85 or 93 percent lean ground turkey
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup chicken broth
¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon paprika
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry
1 ½ pounds 85 or 93 percent lean ground turkey
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup chicken broth
¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
2 slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated (½ cup)
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon paprika
1 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Salt and pepper
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and patted dry
1 ½ pounds 85 or 93 percent lean ground turkey
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons tomato paste
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup chicken broth
¼ teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Our turkey meatballs rival those made from beef or pork, thanks to a few test kitchen tricks. We start with 93 or 85 percent lean turkey; the 99 percent lean type didn’t have enough fat to create a palatable meatball. Next, we add an egg and fresh bread crumbs (instead of a panade, which made the meatballs too wet) to help bind the meat. We also add a small amount of unflavored gelatin, which mitigates graininess by trapping moisture and giving the meatballs a juicy mouthfeel. To boost meaty flavor, we add glutamate-rich ingredients such as Parmesan cheese, anchovies, and tomato paste. These meatballs are also flavored with saffron, fresh herbs, and warm spices.
Before You Begin
Serve with white rice or couscous.
Instructions
- Pulse bread in food processor until finely ground, 10 to 15 pulses; transfer bread crumbs to large bowl. Add gelatin, Parmesan, 2 tablespoons cilantro, parsley, 2 teaspoons paprika, cumin, coriander, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne and mix until thoroughly combined. Pulse carrots and anchovies in food processor until carrots are chopped fine, 10 to 15 pulses. Add carrot mixture, turkey, and egg to bowl with bread-crumb mixture and mix with your hands until thoroughly combined. Divide mixture into 16 portions (about 1/4 cup each). Using your hands, roll each portion into ball; transfer meatballs to plate and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Pulse onion in food processor until finely chopped, 10 to 15 pulses. Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add meatballs and cook until well browned all over, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer meatballs to paper towel–lined plate, leaving fat in skillet.
- Add tomato paste, ginger, and onion to skillet and cook, stirring constantly, until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Increase heat to high; add broth, saffron, ¼ cup cilantro, remaining 1 teaspoon paprika, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon cayenne; and bring to simmer. Return meatballs to skillet, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until meatballs register 160 degrees, 12 to 15 minutes, turning meatballs once. Transfer meatballs to platter, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer sauce until slightly thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over meatballs, garnish with remaining 2 tablespoons cilantro, and serve.
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