Incorporating medicinal cannabis into daily meals can be incredibly beneficial for many, though it’s challenging when close friends and family may not be ready for marijuana-infused dishes. A great solution that prevents you from dining alone (and your edible creations from going to waste) is to keep the cannabis component on the side.
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One way to do that is with these Persian lamb meatballs. They’re a wonderful party appetizer or weeknight dinner, packed with flavor from dried fruit, toasted nuts and herbs. They can easily be enjoyed plain, but you can whip together the cannabis-infused yogurt for an optional medicinal dipping sauce.
Cannabis-Infused Yogurt Sauce
The richness of the whole yogurt and warm spices balance the brightness of the lemon juice and raw garlic. The sauce pairs perfectly with the savory meatballs.
If you’re concerned about proper cannabis dosage, try using a store-bought, cannabis-infused olive oil such as one of our favorites, [Om Edibles Medicated Olive Oil](https://www.hellomd.dev/products/58accbef5dc77b0007e75241/medicated-extra-virgin-olive-oil.%20Each%20tsp%20contains%20a%20lab-tested%2015%20mg%20dose%20of%20tetrahydrocannabinol%20(THC). Each teaspoon of the Om Edibles infused olive oil contains 15 mg of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), yielding 30 mg of THC for the entire batch of herb yogurt sauce. DIY versions of cannabis-infused olive oil will have varying potencies depending on the strain, plant matter and your infusion method.
Ingredients
- 1 cup plain whole milk yogurt
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp cannabis-infused olive oil
- 1 medium garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp salt
How To
Mix all ingredients in a bowl; chill until it’s time to serve.
RELATED: HOW TO MAKE MARIJUANA INFUSED COOKING OIL
Persian Lamb Meatballs
The much beloved food writer, Molly Wizenberg, first shared this recipe on her award-winning food blog, Orangette, in 2005. She credits her friend Doron for the original recipe, Turkey Meatballs With Pine Nuts & Golden Raisins, which has been widely shared among her fans.
I prefer making the meatballs with ground lamb, which I find at my local co-op. If lamb intimidates you, substitute ground turkey or beef; they’re milder tasting alternatives. I also substitute toasted walnuts for pine nuts (much thriftier), as I find the chopped walnuts stay properly enmeshed in the meatballs. Feel free to experiment using this recipe as a rough formula, and make them your own.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground lamb
- 1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup golden raisins, sliced in half or coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1/4 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp salt
- A few grinds fresh black pepper
How To
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, preferably using your hands so that you can incorporate ingredients into the meat.
Form the lamb mixture into balls that are about 1 1/2 inch wide.
Heat a few tablespoons of cooking oil (coconut oil recommended) into a heavy skillet over medium heat.
Add about half the meatballs, cooking in batches so as not to crowd them.
As the meatballs begin to brown, turn them regularly, until golden on all sides. Picking up the skillet and rolling them around is a good strategy, but metal tongs work even better.
The meatballs are cooked through when each is evenly browned and holding a firm shape—try cutting one in half to test (no pink meat should remain).
Place on a paper towel-lined plate to catch excess oil.
Serve immediately or allow to cool and enjoy with the Lemon-Herb Yogurt Sauce.
Photo credit: Maggie Hoffman
If you’re new to cannabis and want to learn more, take a look at our Cannabis 101 post. HelloMD can help you get your medical marijuana recommendation; it’s easy, private and 100% online.
