Recipe Sesame Meatball with Jicama Shoestring Fries and Tahini Lemon Sauce

[The Late Night Gourmet]

I decided to make this a riff on a birds egg in a nest, and I almost called it something like "Sesame Egg in a Nest", but there would have been a lot of confusion about what the dish actually was.

You can certainly sub in potato or some similar if you can't get jicama.

Jicama Fries Ingredients

1 jicama root
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon chili de arbol, ground

Meatball Ingredients

1 pound chicken breast, ground
1 strip bacon
1 egg
1/4 cup oats
2 tablespoons mint, diced
3 garlic cloves, diced
1 tablespoon chili de arbol, ground
1 tablespoon salt
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1 tablespoon canola oil

Sauce Ingredients

1 tablespoon tahini
2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon ponzu
1 tablespoon Chianking vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Directions

Make the Jicama Fries

1. Cut the exterior of jicama root off with a knife (a potato peeler will take longer to do). Depending on the size and shape of your spiralizer, square off the ends of the jicama root and cut in half to fit in spiralizer. Use the insert to create long thin strands, and cut jicama root.

2. Toss jicama strands with oil. Arrange on baking sheets in a single layer. Sprinkle with garlic salt and ground chili de arbol.

3. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 5 minutes. Scrape up jicama strands and flip over. Bake for another 5 minutes, checking periodically to ensure that they don't burn.


Make the Meatballs

1. Combine all meatball ingredients except for sesame seeds. Form into 12 ball shapes. Roll each ball in the sesame seeds to coat.

2. Using a spray bottle, spray each meatball lightly with oil to coat the surface. Arrange meatballs so none are touching.

3. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 6 minutes, then flip over. Bake for 6 more minutes, or until interior reaches 165°F (74°C).


Make the Sauce

1. Combine all sauce ingredients.

2. Allow to rest in refrigerator for 15 minutes if desired to give ingredients a chance to settle.

 

[Morning Glory]

This is such an inventive dish. I think that sauce must sing - with the ponzu, sesame oil, tahini and lemon! And a great idea with the jicama. I also like the lay out of the recipe - putting it in sections is something I do too if its a long list of different elements. It makes it easy to read. Well done.

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

And a great idea with the jicama.

Full disclosure: I stole the idea from Nigella Lawson. I can't recall where, but I saw where she used the spiralizer as a fun (and easy) way to make shoestring fries (with a potato). The spiralizer and I aren't on the best of terms, but I think we just got off to a bad start: didn't see any good reason to use it (zucchini "noodles" didn't seem like a good enough reason). But, this terrific and fun idea is what cured me of that.