Meatball Tagine with Herbs and Lemon

Ingredients

• onion
• italian parsley
• white bread
• egg
• ground lamb
• ground cumin
• paprika
• fresh ground black pepper
• butter
• ground turmeric
• red chili peppers
• chicken stock
• fresh cilantro
• lemon juice
• preserved lemon

Preparation

1. 1prepare the meatballs: put the onion and parsley in a food processor and process until finely chopped
2. 2tear the bread into pieces , add to the onion , along with the egg , and process briefly
3. 3add the meat , cumin , paprika , pepper and 1 teaspoons salt and process to a thick paste , scraping down the side of the bowl occasionally
4. 4alternative preparation: grate the onion , chop the parsley , crumb the bread , and add to the meat in a bowl with the remaining ingredients
5. 5knead until the mixture is paste like in consistency
6. 6with moistened hands , shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls and place them on a tray
7. 7cover and refrigerate until required
8. 8prepare the sauce: heat the butter or oil in a saucepan and add the onion
9. 9cook over low heat until softened and golden
10. 10add the paprika , turmeric , cumin and chili or cayenne pepper , and cook for 1 minute , stirring
11. 11add the chicken stock and cilantro and bring to a boil
12. 12add the meatballs to the pan , shaking so that they settle into the sauce
13. 13cover and simmer for 45 minutes
14. 14add most of the parsley and the lemon juice and season , if necessary
15. 15return to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes
16. 16if using preserved lemon , add now
17. 17transfer to a tagine or bowl , and sprinkle with remaining parsley
18. 18i also suggest rice or couscous