Chicken meatballs with tomatillo salsa

Despite the warm summer weather that we've been having I really wanted to make this recipe this weekend. Luckily the rain cooled things off a bit in the afternoon so having the oven on wasn't too bad.

I changed all of the herbs in the meatballs from the original recipe, and mostly used what I have growing in pots -- it may be an odd combination, but nothing beats that balcony terroir.

Chicken meatballs
inspired by this recipe

3/4 c fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg yolk
1 green onion (greens only), minced
small handful of mixed herbs, minced (I used oregano, thyme, basil, rosemary)
French grey sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
650 g ground chicken

Pre-heat the oven to 400. Mix the first ingredients together with a fork, add the chicken, and continue mixing until well combined. Roll into meatballs (approx. 1 inch in diameter) and place on an oiled cookie sheet (I lined it with foil first). Cook until almost done, then place under the broiler for a few minutes to add some colour.

I had bookmarked this meatball recipe some time ago, but was looking for a non-dairy replacement for the lime raita (which is a shame since the lime raita looks amazing -- you guys should try it!). This lime-flavoured tomatillo salsa seemed like it could be a nice match.

Tomatillo salsa
adapted from this recipe (my new fave site)

3-4 c tomatillos, roughly chopped
1 large semi-hot BC green pepper, roughly chopped
1/4 onion, roughly chopped
large handful cilantro
juice of 1 lime
pinch of sugar
freshly ground sea salt
3 large cloves garlic, crushed

Throw all ingredients into a blender and blend to a smooth consistency. Heat some grapeseed oil in a pan and add the salsa; cook for about five minutes (stirring often).

I served the meatballs and a handful of multigrain tortilla chips with a small bowl of salsa for dipping. It was tasty, but the salsa wasn't quite hot enough for my liking. I'd use a hotter pepper next time.