Moorish Minted Chicken Meatballs with Almond Sherry Sauce in the Crock Pot

These meatballs are adapted from a dish served at one of my favorite restaurants in Denver, Colorado; The Ninth Door. The recipe for the restaurant’s lamb albondigas is at the bottom of this post… it is to die for.

I think my recipe is killer as well.

You better try this one out. It’s a great dish to make if you enjoy entertaining.

I made my meatballs in crock pot and they came out so juicy and tender.  It’s best to make this with the intention of having lots of leftovers…you will be craving these meatballs from time to time and they keep great frozen. Eat half and freeze half!  I wanted something lighter and cheaper than lamb meat so I went to WholeFoods and had them grind up chicken thighs for me. Chicken breast meat is too lean and wouldn’t keep its moisture like the thigh meat.

Long last, here is the recipe!

MEATBALLS

1 baguette, cubed, dried, food processed

1/3 c dry sherry

2 1/2 lbs ground chicken thighs

2 eggs, beaten

6 cloves of minced garlic ( I just stick mine in the food processor)

1 medium yellow onion minced (in food processor)

2 1/2 TB chopped fresh mint

1 tsp salt

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Flour for coating the meatballs, just cover a large plate with flour

2 TB extra-virgin olive oil for browning meatballs

First, mix ground meat and all ingredients above until well blended. Shape into same-sized meatballs and place on flour-coated plate. Lightly roll each meatball in flour and place into a large hot pan with EVOO. Brown each side of every meatball and stick browned meatballs into a crockpot on low. Now we must make the sauce.

ALMOND SHERRY SAUCE

3 cloves of minced garlic

1 1/3 c of diced yellow onion

1 package cremini mushrooms sliced

1 1/3 c dry sherry

1 1/3 c chicken stock

1 1/3 c toasted almonds

1 TB lemon zest

3 TB lemon juice

1/3 c chopped fresh mint

1 tsp salt

6 TB butter, cut into chunks (optional)

First, dice or food process your onions and garlic.  In large pan, combine garlic, onions, sherry, mushrooms, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil; remove from heat. In a food processor, combine almonds, lemon zest and juice, olive oil,  and mint. Process to blend and make a paste. Whisk paste into sauce and pour sauce over meatballs in your crock pot. Bake on low for 5-7hrs or on high for 4 hrs.

Before serving you can separate sauce from meatballs and whisk in butter to finish sauce. Pour over meatballs.

I served mine with some spaghetti squash and roasted asparagus. I had fun with cookie cutters and used them to keep my squash in a nice little pile on the plate, yum!

For  the Ninth Door recipe:Minted Lamb Meatballs With Almond Sherrry Sauce – The Denver Posthttp://www.denverpost.com/food/ci_10891088#ixzz1KZPY6wFz