Moroccan Meatballs

Level: Intermediate | Total: 1 hr 30 min | Active: 1 hr 10 min | Yield: 15 to 20 servings

Ingredients

Moroccan Meatball Sauce:

1 gallon tomato sauce 

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 cup ground cumin 

1/4 cup harissa 

3 tablespoons smoked paprika 

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 

Moroccan Meatballs:

1 gallon bread cubes, day-old, no crust

5 cups minced yellow onions

3/4 cup minced garlic

5 pounds ground chuck 

5 pounds ground pork 

3/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

3/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup cumin seeds, ground 

1/4 cup smoked paprika 

1/4 cup black peppercorns, ground 

1/4 cup salt 

4 teaspoons ancho chile powder 

1 tablespoon ground ginger 

10 eggs, whipped before adding

Vegetable oil

Directions

1. For the sauce: Mix together the tomato sauce, cilantro, cumin, harissa, paprika and cinnamon.

2. For the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Soak the bread in just enough water to cover for 1 minute. Pour into a colander and let sit for 10 minutes. Squeeze all the excess water out.

3. Meanwhile, gently cook the onions and garlic until translucent. Let cool, then transfer to a bowl. Add the chuck, pork, cilantro, parsley, cumin, paprika, pepper, salt, chile powder, ginger and eggs and mix thoroughly.

4. Portion and shape the mixture into 3 1/2-ounce balls. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan and brown the meatballs on all sides.

5. Transfer to a large baking dish, cover with the meatball sauce and wrap with aluminum foil. Braise the meatballs in the oven until cooked through but not dry, 20 minutes.

6. Let cool slightly, then serve.