Spiced Lamb Balls and Savory Beancakes

Whenever we draw a West African country for our chosen country-of-the-month, we always tend to take a deep sigh in the angst over our perceived notions of its sparseness.  Africa, that vast continent, is an enigma for which most Americans tend to know almost nothing - especially in terms of cuisine.  And in a city with a plethora of the world's fare within grasp, we could sadly count on one hand the number of African restaurants which reside here (most of which are Ethiopian, Moroccan or South African - clearly NOT a West African option).  So, when we chose Burkina Faso, I must honestly admit that my heart sank a little and I deemed it something we would take on "later."  That lack of urgency carried me to the very last day of the month before I finally made a Burkinabe meal.  It's a terrible shame to admit such procrastination...especially when the result is so mouth-wateringly good! 

Spiced lamb balls, the West African equivalent of traditional meatballs, are an even more flavorful variation in that they use an addition of six spices to add an exciting depth to their flavor.  And the savory beancakes also possess depth, though they are a bit heavier than I really cared for in a large portion.  After a few bites, the bean flavor was a bit overwhelming.  However, the meal was filling and better than expected.  At the end, a simple banana posed as our dessert (okay, so this might be cheating, but after combing the internet for weeks in search of a non-existent Burkina Faso dessert recipe, a banana was really the only logical and seemingly appropriate choice).  All in all, our meal a la Burkina Faso was a success.  The meatballs will definitely be put into a steady rotation in our house.  The beancakes, not so much.  But, at least we tried something new....as always, that is better than the alternative.

Spiced Lamb Balls - Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 pounds ground lamb
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs

Instructions:

1. Saute onions, cinnamon, garlic, ginger, red pepper, coriander and salt in oil until the onion is soft.  Cool and combine with ground lamb. 
2. Add eggs and crumbs to meat mixture.  Mix well.  Form into small balls.  Chill for 1 hour. 
3. Bake or saute until browned (if baking in the oven, bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, turning a couple of times).  Serve warm.

Savory Beancakes - Ingredients:

• 1 can of black-eyed peas
• 1/2 of an onion, chopped
• 2 small carrots, chopped
• 1 egg
• salt and black pepper, to taste
• flour for coating beancakes
• oil for frying

Instructions:

1. Drain the beans and rinse.  Place the beans, onions, carrots and egg into a food processor or blender and season to taste.  Blend until it becomes a smooth paste. 
2. Shape the mixture in flour until a small patty is formed.  Shallow fry in a skillet, cooking until brown on both sides (about 10 minutes) turning occasionally.

(The original recipe for spiced lamb balls came from this site: http://recipes.wuzzle.org/index.php/26/136)
(The original recipe for savory beancakes came from this site: http://www.celtnet.org.uk/recipes/miscellaneous/fetch-recipe.php?rid=misc-burkinabe-savoury-beancakes)

Lekach (Honey Cake)

From the land of milk and honey comes a dessert which has...you guessed it...honey.  Honey cake (Lekach) is often served at Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year.  Eaten to insure a sweet year, it has been a tradition for almost as long as the Jewish faith has been in existence.  A dense loaf cake, Lekach is sometimes colored with coffee or tea and can taste more like gingerbread or lebkuchen depending on the maker.  Recipes vary tremendously.  However, one thing remains the same - honey.  It offers such a soothing and rich flavor, it's easy to see why this is one of those recipes that has been handed down from the ages.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2-1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. apple pie spice
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup clear honey
• 4 Tbsp. olive oil
• grated rind of one orange
• 2 eggs
• 5 Tbsp. orange juice
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh ginger root

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8 inch square baking pan or medium loaf pan. 
2. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, ginger, cinnamon, apple pie spice and baking soda.
3. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the honey, olive oil, orange rind and eggs.  Using a wooden spoon, beat until smooth, then add the orange juice.  Stir in the chopped ginger.
4. Pour the cake mixture into the pan then bake for 50 minutes or until firm to touch.
5. Leave the cake to cool in the pan, then turn out and wrap tightly in foil.  Store at room temperature for 2 to 3 days before serving to allow the flavors of the cake to mature.

(The original recipe came from "Jewish Cooking" by Marlena Spieler)