ALGERIAN-STYLE MEATBALLS WITH CHICKPEAS
Serves: 4
■ 1 medium yellow onion
■ 3 tbsp (45 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
■ 6 cloves garlic
■ 1 lb (454 g) ground turkey, preferably dark meat
■ 1 large egg
■ 2 tsp (10 mL) ground cumin
■ 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) kosher salt, plus more as needed
■ Freshly ground black pepper
■ 2 tsp (10 mL) sweet paprika
■ 2 tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste
■ 14 1/2-oz (428-mL) can low-sodium chickpeas, drained
■ Water
■ 1 bunch curly parsley, rinsed and dried
■ Generous handful of sliced almonds
1. Cut the onion into small dice, to yield about 1 cup (250 mL).
2. Heat 2 tbsp (30 mL) oil until shimmering in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion and cook until softened and lightly coloured, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, mince the garlic and place half of it in a mixing bowl. Add the ground turkey, egg, 1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin, the salt and a generous pinch of the black pepper.
4. Dampen your hands with water, then use them to gently mix until just blended. Shape the mixture into 24 meatballs of equal size; they will be soft, so don’t worry too much about perfectly round shapes.
5. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sautéed onion to a plate, leaving some oil in the pan.
6. Increase the heat to medium-high; add half the meatballs and cook until they have browned all over, about 5 minutes; they will not be cooked through.
7. Transfer to the plate with the onion and repeat with the remaining meatballs, also transferring them to the plate.
8. Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the remaining 1 tbsp (15 mL) of oil; once it’s warmed through, add the remaining minced garlic, the remaining tsp (5 mL) of ground cumin and the paprika. Cook for 1 minute, then stir in the tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds.
9. Return the meatballs and sautéed onion to the pan, then add the chickpeas and enough water to barely cover the meatballs.
10. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the meatballs are tender and cooked through, about 15 minutes. Stir occasionally to keep the meatballs evenly moist.
11. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the parsley. Toast the almonds in a small, dry skillet over medium-low heat, until fragrant and lightly browned. Let cool.
12. Use slotted spoon to transfer the meatballs to a serving dish.
13. Increase the heat to medium-high to cook the sauce until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes.
14. Feel free to mash some chickpeas to further thicken the sauce, if you wish. Or add a bit more water if the sauce is too thick.
15. Taste and season. Pour the sauce and chickpeas over the meatballs. Scatter the parsley and almonds on top. Serve hot. Adapted from New Kitchen Basics: 10 Essential Ingredients, 120 Recipes, by Claire Thomson (Quadrille/ Hardie Grant, 2019)