Author Notes: This recipe is a combination of a few different restaurant dishes that I have enjoyed over the years. I’ve gone through a handful of versions, but this one has stuck around. I usually make them with ground beef, but lamb is great too. Also instead of serving as an appetizer, skip the toothpicks and pile it all into a warm pita. I know the grilled grapes sound a little odd, but they really work…trust me. – roseinparis —roseinparis
Food52 Review: You will fall in love with this recipe as you’re mixing the meatball mixture, which sends up wafts of cinnamon, mint and garlic. After browning the meatballs, you sandwich them between a grilled (seared, really) grape — we used red, and loved how their skins blistered and charred — and a garlicky, lemon yogurt sauce. For parties, you can make everything ahead of time, and assemble the skewers and sauce just before guests arrive. – A&M —The Editors
Serves: 6
Ingredients
Meatballs
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1.5
pounds ground beef
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1
egg
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1
small red onion, grated
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1/2
cup chopped mint
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1/4
cup chopped parsley
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2
minced garlic cloves
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1
teaspoon ground cinnamon
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1
teaspoon salt
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1/2
teaspoon ground black pepper
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1
bunch small seedless grapes, red or green
Yogurt Sauce
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1
cup plain yogurt
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1/4
cup chopped mint
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2
tablespoons grated lemon zest
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1
minced garlic clove
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salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- For the yogurt sauce: Mix all ingredients. It’s best when made at least 30 minutes ahead of time, to allow flavors to meld.
- In a large bowl combine the first 9 ingredients in the meatball list. Don’t over-mix.
- Heat a frying pan with some vegetable oil and toss the grapes, lightly browning on all sides, remove and set aside.
- Shape meat mixture into small meatballs, fry in the pan, adding more oil if needed to make sure they don’t stick. The heat should be fairly high to ensure a good sear. Toss or turn to make sure all sides brown. Drain on some paper towel, allowing to rest for a few minutes.
- Assemble on large cocktail toothpicks: grape first, then meatball on the bottom. Serve with yogurt sauce for dipping.
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Yogurt, ground beef, parsley, cinnamon, egg, lemon zest, mint, and grapes.
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With this recipe, it's best to start chopping mint right away — you need 3/4 cup!
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Amanda zesting the lemon on her beloved Microplane zester!
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Garlic, mint, lemon zest, salt and pepper get folded into the yogurt and your sauce is made. Onto the meatballs!
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roseinparis instructs you to grate the red onion — a box grater comes in handy for this task.
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Isn't the grated onion beautiful! And it's nice and moist, which helps keep the meatballs moist.
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In goes parsley, mint and garlic.
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Cinnamon is the secret ingredient and salt makes all the flavors come alive.
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Amanda browned the grapes in a hot pan greased with a slick of oil.
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War torn and tasty looking.
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Amanda mixing the meatballs — she believes in digging in with your hands so you can gently turn and mix the meat without working it too much.
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One brave little meatball against the world.
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Kristen hops in to help out Amanda.
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Browning the meatballs.
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Browner. You want to cook them gently enough that they cook through before getting too dark.
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Time for assembly: short cocktail skewers work best for threading the grapes and meatballs.
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Then you can set them on a bed of yogurt sauce, like good little soldiers.
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