Lamb Meatball Stuffed Mushrooms with Tzatziki Sauce

Think of this as a 2-for-1 treat; some scrumptious Lamb-Stuffed 'Shrooms to serve as an appetizer or light supper...

Photo: Lamb Meatball Stuffed Mushrooms topped with Tzatziki Sauce and plated on a bed of balsamic-braised kale

...plus a dozen or so little Lamb Meatballs for a lunch plate on another day, tasty on their own or delicious stuffed in a warm pita. 

Photo: Flavorful Lamb Meatballs with Tzatziki Sauce

Rummaging through the fridge I found some plump stuffing mushrooms, ground lamb, and bunches of several fresh herbs. Aha! meatballs and meatball-stuffed 'shrooms! Both dishes came from a single one-pound package of ground lamb. That worked for me, big time, since neither of us felt any major hunger pangs that evening and I'm a huge fan of cooking ahead whenever possible. 

Appetizers for dinner sounded perfect, knowing that we could fill up on ice cream and cookies for dessert if we were hungry later. Never happened! The 'shrooms were of medium size, but we were stuffed after eating four apiece and their bed of braised kale.

I turned to my recipe for Lamb Kofta, but ended up substituting a few herbs and omitting capers in order to work with items already at hand. After mixing the ingredients and forming eight small meatballs, lightly packed, just large enough to fill the cavities of the mushrooms, there was still enough filling left to shape a generous dozen+ small meatballs. Win!

Of course I didn't bother to write down the exact ingredients or step-by-step directions, but here's a close approximation of the process. 

 Lamb Meatball Stuffed Mushrooms

Meat Mixture:

1 pound ground lamb

scant 1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled

2 teaspoons mint paste (Gourmet Garden)
2 heaping tablespoons Italian parsley, minced

2 teaspoons garlic paste (Gourmet Garden)

3 tablespoons grated onion

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced

2 tablespoons fresh oregano, minced

Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper  
Stems from the fresh mushrooms, minced

8-10 medium cremini mushrooms, cleaned & stemmed (number depends on size)
Kale, braised and tossed with balsamic vinegar (optional)

Tzatziki Sauce (see below)

Directions:
Mix the meatball ingredients thoroughly by hand, careful not to overwork the mixture or it will be tough. (I read that somewhere.) 

For the Stuffed Mushrooms:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Use a small cookie scoop or damp hands to form lightly packed small meatballs, just large enough to fill the cavities of the mushrooms when mounded slightly.
3. Arrange the stuffed 'shrooms in a lightly oiled pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until you see a few crispy, browned bits and the lamb is just faintly pink underneath. 
4. Serve atop a bed of braised kale - topped with tzatziki sauce - or perhaps in individual Asian soup spoons for party presentation.   

For the Meatballs:

1. Heat a cast iron or other heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Use a small cookie scoop or damp hands to form the remaining meat mixture into small, round balls.
3. Place in the hot pan and brown on all sides.
4. Lower the heat to medium and lid the skillet, cooking a bit longer until the lamb is just done, only faintly pink in the middle, usually less than 5 minutes.
5. Remove from the skillet and serve with a side of tzatziki sauce - OR, if you can't resist, remove meatballs from the skillet, swirl some sour cream into the pan juices for a sauce to pour over the meatballs. 

Tzatziki Sauce

Makes 1 ¾ cups

1 English cucumber, peeled

1 TB kosher salt

1 cup Greek yogurt (plain)

1 TB lemon juice

2 TB lemon zest

1 TB fresh mint, chopped or 1 tsp dried mint

1 ½ TB fresh dill, chopped or ½ tsp dried dill

1 clove garlic, minced & mashed

1 green onion, finely chopped

Salt (optional)  and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Grate the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater and place in a strainer; add salt and toss gently. Place the strainer over a bowl and let it sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes (or more). You will be amazed at the quantity of liquid that drains out! 
2. Rinse the cucumbers thoroughly under cold water; drain and wring out in a clean tea towel to remove as much moisture as possible without reducing the cukes to moosh. 
3. Place cukes and all other ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Sample and adjust to taste. 

The flavors will blend and intensify as they sit. The sauce will keep overnight in a covered container in the refrigerator, but is best used within a day or two.