Grilled Lamb Meatballs with Red Pepper Pesto and Chips
This meal employs the grill to create tender, charred, and cheesy mozzarella-filled lamb meatballs. For a fun and easy side, it also turns seasoned slices of potatoes into tender-crisp grilled chips. And some scorched red peppers are blended into an herbaceous pesto that provides the perfect saucy bed for the meatballs, and also great dunking material for the chips.
Ingredients
- 8 oz ground lamb
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ¼ cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tsp rosemary chopped
- 6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese grated
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 1 red bell pepper cut in quarters lengthwise and seeds removed
- 2 medium russet potatoes sliced into ¼-inch rounds
- 5-6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil divided
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 cup fresh leafy herbs such as basil parsley, and/or cilantro
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat a charcoal grill or gas grill on medium heat. In a medium bowl combine ground lamb, egg, bread crumbs, rosemary, garlic, mozzarella, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl toss together bell pepper and potatoes with 2 tbsp olive oil, paprika, ½ tsp kosher salt, and ¼ tsp pepper. Place on hot grill for 5-8 minutes or until charred.
- Meanwhile form lamb mixture into 8 roughly equal sized balls. Place on a plate.
- Flip peppers and potatoes and place lamb meatballs on grill. Grill meatballs about 2-4 minutes per side or until charred and cooked through. Remove meatballs and vegetables from grill.
- Place peppers in a food processor along with herbs and pulse until well chopped. With machine running gradually add in olive oil 1 tbsp at a time until mixture is smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in grated parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread red pepper pesto onto plates and top with meatballs. Serve with grilled chips on the side.
Notes
Ground lamb could be replaced with whatever kind of ground meat you like.