Name: Herby Lamb Meatballs
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 1 h 13 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Greek, American
Ingredients: 2 slices white bread, crust removed and cut into small pieces (about 1 loosely packed cup); 3 tablespoons (45 ml) whole milk; 1/2 medium yellow onion (4 ounces; 113 g), grated (about 1/2 cup); 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon ground coriander; 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic; 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves (1/2 ounce; 14 g), finely chopped, divided; 3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons (210 ml) whole-milk strained (Greek-style) yogurt, divided (see notes); 2 tablespoons (6 g) chopped fresh dill, divided, plus fronds for garnish; 2 1/4 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided; for table salt use half as much by volume; 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) ground lamb; 1 tablespoon (15 ml) extra-virgin olive oil; 2 ounces (57 g) feta cheese in brine, drained and crumbled (about 1/2 cup); 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon fresh juice (from 1 medium lemon), plus lemon wedges to serve

1 Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, combine bread with milk and toss to coat. Let stand, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely moist, about 5 minutes. Squeeze bread between your fingers or mash with a spoon to make sure there are no dry spots.

2 Add onion, egg, coriander, cumin, red pepper, garlic, 1/4 cup mint, 2 tablespoons yogurt, 1 tablespoon dill, and 2 teaspoons salt to bread mixture. Using a clean hand or spoon, stir until very well combined. Add ground lamb and, using your hand, continue mixing vigorously, squishing meat and seasonings between your fingers, until just combined and meat has taken on a slightly sticky texture; be careful not to overwork meat.

3 Using wet hands, roll lamb mixture into 2-ounce (60 g) meatballs (about 16 total). Place on prepared baking sheet, evenly spaced apart, and cover lightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate meatballs until firm and cold, at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

4 In a 12-inch cast iron, carbon-steel, or stainless-steel skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of meatballs in an single layer and cook, undisturbed, until browned on 1 side, 1 to 2 minutes. Using tongs, carefully turn meatballs and continue to cook, turning as needed, until browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a large plate. Repeat with remaining meatballs. Once all meatballs are browned, transfer meatballs back to skillet, and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meatballs registers 145°F (63°C), 5 to 7 minutes (see notes).

5 Meanwhile, in a food processor, process feta cheese, lemon zest and juice, remaining 3/4 cup of yogurt, remaining 1/4 cup mint, remaining 1 tablespoon dill, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until mostly smooth, about 2 minutes.

6 Spoon sauce onto a large serving plate or individual plates. Gently set meatballs on top of sauce. Garnish with dill fronds, and serve with lemon wedges.