Name: Lamb Meatballs with Escarole, Cipollini Onions, and Cranberry Beans
Yield: Serves 6–8 (Makes 24 (2-oz) meatballs)
Ingredients: 3/4 cup dried cranberry beans, borlotti beans, or Roman beans, or 11/2 cups shelled fresh cranberry beans; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 bay leaf; 1 (1/4-pound) piece smoky slab bacon (optional); 2 pounds ground lamb; 3 tablespoons dried marjoram; 1 tablespoon dried rosemary; 1 medium yellow onion, minced (about 1 cup); 1 medium garlic clove, minced; 4 large eggs, lightly beaten; 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs or finely ground panko bread crumbs; 2 teaspoons coarse salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided; 2 quarts homemade beef stock or prepared beef broth, or lamb stock, if you have it; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 15 cipollini onions, peeled and quartered; Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 head escarole (about 1 1/4 pounds), trimmed, leaves cut into 2-inch pieces and rinsed well; Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves; 1/4 cup celery leaves

Photo by Michael Harlan Turkell

Chef Tom Kearney is always trying to deliver something fresh and unexpected in a familiar package. “I love the homespun aspect of it, the familiarity of the meatballs—but they deliver the flavor of lamb,” he says. This recipe makes excellent use of all those dried herbs in your spice rack; the flavors really hold their own during the cooking process and shine through in every bite.

Recipe notes

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