Crunchy and Crusted: Crinkle Meatballs

For this month's Five Star Cooking theme, I made a very different kind of meatballs. Instead of soft and juicy, these are crunchy and crusted, with a tint of sweetness from pieces of dates. The yogurt sauce drizzled on top balances out the texture. Surprisingly, this is now my favorite kind of meatballs.

Crinkle Meatballs with Turkey and Date

Crinkle Meatballs with Turkey and Date
from Food and Wine
Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 2 cups fresh bread crumbs
• 6 dates, pitted and finely chopped
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 cup French green lentils
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed and peeled
• 2 thyme sprigs
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped mint
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Recipe

1. In a bowl, combine the ground turkey with the bread crumbs, dates, eggs, sesame seeds, sesame oil, 2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cover the lentils, garlic, thyme and cinnamon stick with 2 inches of water; bring to a boil. Simmer over moderately low heat until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. Drain the lentils and transfer to a bowl; pick out and discard the seasonings. Stir the olive oil and vinegar into the lentils and season with salt and pepper.
3. Form the turkey mixture into 1-inch meatballs. Spread the meatballs on a lightly oiled large rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until browned on the bottom and cooked through.
4. Meanwhile, blend the yogurt with the lemon juice, mint and lemon zest, and season with salt and pepper. Serve the meatballs with the lentils and yogurt.

Thank you to Natasha from 5 Star Foodie and Laz from Lazaro Cooks! for hosting this month's 5 Star Cooking!

hosted by 5 Star Foodie & Lazaro Cooks!

The Return of the Halal Cart: Chicken & Rice

Chicken and Rice, Halal Cart Style

Many Christmases ago on a chilly winter night, I patiently waited on the corner of 53rd and 6th in Midtown Manhattan. Staring ahead, I saw our line wrapped around the block, all waiting to order "chicken and rice" from probably the most famous Halal cart in New York. The man in front of me nodded at me knowingly, "make sure you ask for both sauces." I did. It tasted amazing. Maybe it had more to do with the cold and the midnight hunger than anything else, but nevertheless, it was a street food I remembered.

For those of you that know what I am talking about (and for those of you that don't), it's time to bring back the delicious chicken and rice!

Chicken and Rice, Halal Cart Style
Adapted from Serious Eats
Serves 4-6 (or 2-4 if it's been too long since you've had it)
Ingredients
For the Chicken

• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp of vegetable oil

For the Rice

• 2 tbsp of unsalted butter
• 1/2 tsp of turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp of chili powder
• 1.5 cups of basmati rice
• 2.5 cups of chicken broth
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Sauce

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup greek yogurt (plain)
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Recipe

1. Combine lemon juice, oregano, coriander, garlic and olive oil in a blender. Blend until smooth. Season marinade to taste with salt and pepper. Place chicken in a 1-gallon ziplock bag and add half of the marinade. Marinate chicken in fridge for at least 1 hour and up to 4 hours (it will get soggy if it's over 4 hours).
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat chicken dry and season with kosher salt and pepper. Add chicken pieces to skillet to brown, about 4 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until cooked through. Transfer to cutting board and let it cool for 5 minutes.
3. Melt butter in a large dutch oven and add chili powder and turmeric powder to cook for one minute. Toast rice in dutch oven for 4 minutes until lightly browned, stirring frequently.
4. Chop chicken pieces into 1-2 inch cubes. Place them in a bowl along with remaining marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
5. Add chicken broth to dutch  oven and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then simmer on medium low heat, covered, for 15 minutes without disturbing. Remove from heat and let it stand for 15 minutes (covered).
6. Mix sauce ingredients in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Heat original chicken pan over medium heat and add chicken pieces to heat for a few minutes.
8. Serve chicken pieces over rice, with white sauce drizzled on top. Add tabasco for spice. Can also serve with sliced iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and pita bread.