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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
15 minutes
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Serves
4 sandwiches
Author Notes
The combination of lamb and feta is a common one for good reason: The saltiness of the cheese and the earthiness of the meat are natural partners. A great sandwich needs freshness and crunch, so these get topped with a quick fennel slaw and a pile of deliciously crispy shallots (make extra and use them on salads!). To hold everything together, I used the classic, soft Potato Buns from Arnold®, Brownberry®, and Oroweat®.
A great tip to liven up the slaw is to add in the fennel fronds, which gives a little color and an herb-like taste. If you don’t want to use all the meatballs, they’ll freeze beautifully for later—or make a double batch to keep some on hand for dinners or lunches. —Posie (Harwood) Brien
Test Kitchen Notes
This recipe is shared in partnership with Arnold®, Brownberry®, and Oroweat®. —The Editors
Ingredients
- For the lamb meatballs:
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1 pound
ground lamb
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1
egg
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1/2 cup
panko breadcrumbs
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1
garlic clove, minced
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1
small onion, finely diced
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2 tablespoons
finely chopped fresh parsley
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1
lemon, zested (reserve the juice for the slaw)
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1 teaspoon
dried oregano
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3/4 teaspoon
ground cumin
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1/2 teaspoon
smoked paprika
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1/2 teaspoon
ground coriander
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1/2 teaspoon
kosher salt
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1/4 teaspoon
freshly ground black pepper
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3 tablespoons
vegetable oil
- For the slaw and the sandwiches:
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2
medium fennel bulbs
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3 tablespoons
olive oil
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1 tablespoon
apple cider or white wine vinegar
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Kosher salt
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Freshly ground black pepper
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1 cup
vegetable oil
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4
large shallots, thinly sliced
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4
Arnold®, Brownberry®, or Oroweat® Potato Hot Dog Buns
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1/2 cup
crumbled feta cheese
Directions
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Make the meatballs: Combine all of the meatball ingredients—except the oil—in a large bowl and mix gently with your hands until just combined. Roll the mixture into golf ball-sized meatballs.
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In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high until it shimmers. Add the meatballs and cook, turning a few times, until browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool.
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While the meatballs cool, make the slaw: Cut the fronds off the fennel bulbs and set aside. Thinly slice the fennel bulbs (or shave on a mandoline), then toss with the reserved fronds, olive oil, vinegar, and a pinch of salt and pepper (to taste).
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Make the crispy shallots: Have a paper towel-lined plate ready. Put the vegetable oil with the shallots in a small saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring now and again, until they begin to turn a deep amber-brown (this should take 10 to 15 minutes). Transfer the shallots to the prepared plate, dab gently to remove some of the excess oil, and sprinkle with salt.
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Assemble the sandwiches: Toast the Potato Hot Dog Buns under the broiler in the oven until crisped and golden. Then pile a few meatballs into each bun and evenly divide the fennel slaw, crumbled feta, and crispy shallots over each. Serve warm and enjoy.
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