How to Make Olin’s Spiced Lamb Meatballs

Try the lamb-based dish at home with this easy-to-follow-recipe.
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Photograph by Rebecca Simonov

Ingredients

Meatballs

  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 2 shallots, finely minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup golden raisins
  • 1/2 ounce fresh mint, finely chopped
  • 1/2 ounce fresh parsley, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sea salt

White Bean Hummus

  • 16 ounces cooked butter beans, drained (reserve liquid at room temperature)
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/4 cup tahini
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Salt, to taste

Pea Salad ( for garnish)

  • 1 tablespoon pine nuts, chopped in extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 ounce fresh mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup fresh English peas, blanched
  • 1 teaspoon za’atar spice
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • Warm pita bread cut into quarters, to serve

Directions

White Bean Hummus

  1. Combine butter beans, garlic, cumin, and tahini in a food processor. Blend to incorporate.
  2. Add olive oil, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Blend until very smooth. If it’s too thick, you can add reserved bean liquid.

Meatballs

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine milk and panko and let stand for two minutes. Add all remaining ingredients and mix well.
  2. With a 2-ounce ice cream scoop, scoop out and form 16-20 evenly sized meatballs. Roll each ball in your hands to get a nice round shape.
  3. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
  4. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  5. Roast the meatballs for about 18-25 minutes until browned and cooked through.
  6. To serve, spoon white bean hummus onto a serving plate. Combine fresh mint with English peas and season with a pinch of salt and olive oil. Place warm meatballs onto the hummus and garnish with the pea salad. Drizzle some extra olive oil on top as well as a sprinkle of za’atar. Serve with warm pita.

Olin Bar & Kitchen is located at 25 E. Grand River Ave., Detroit. Call 313-774-1191 or visit olindetroit.com for more information — and be sure to check out hourdetroit.com for even more recipes including Alpino’s Piedmontese Ragu and Aurora Italiana’s Frutti di Mare


This story originally appeared in the November 2024 issue of Hour Detroit magazine. To read more, pick up a copy of Hour Detroit at a local retail outlet. Our digital edition will be available on Nov. 6.