Uh....."lamb balls".....honest.....!

[BigEats]

Was doing my normal poking about Springfield today when I happened into the Afghan Mini Market on Backlick across from the original Five Guys and JW's. In the meat case in the back of the store, wrapped in a package of six, was "lamb balls"....honest, that's what was on the package. Normally, I would buy something like this but couldn't bring myself to do so because I don't have a recipe in mind. So the next question is, who has some good recipes for "lamb balls"....?

[Ernie Diamond]

They are fantastic. I have two thawing in my fridge this very moment.

http://www.nosetotailathome.com/2010/...

[hotoynoodle]

well then, i shall not tell you to "get a pair'. :P

[themags]

I haven't yet tried them but some of the Turkish restaurants in London serve lambs' testicles "marinated then grilled" - i don't have a recipe but would guess marinated in olive oil, lemon juice and parsley then grilled over hot coals, served with pilaf (or flat bread) and salad.

[pikawicca]

I'm not sure what I'd expect of a product labeled "lamb balls." Probably a meatball made of lamb, as testicles usually have a different name, such as "fry."

[hotoynoodle]

i was thinking this too. even with an english-as-second-language butcher, "balls" is generally known as not a word for polite company, lol.

i make lamb balls, with ground lamb, all the time and neither at my italian nor moroccan butcher have i ever seen "balls".

[ospreycove]

PIK.....Yes, in the lamb growing/herding areas of the U.S, during the castrating season; local bars/restaurants would and still serve "Lamb Fries", Last time I had them was in Canyon Texas.

[hotoynoodle]

i'm under no illusion and understand lots of folks eat them, just think they'd be labeled something other than "balls." like fries, or something.

[ospreycove]

Hey........ It is the name the Afgan Mini-mart put on them....Maybe the direct translation from Pashtun or whatever dialect the "Mini-Mart owners speak is ....balls, marbles sounds nicer!!!!!!

[amokscience]

I think some are losing the context of being in an ethnic market standing in front of the package versus reading text on a forum or imagining it described on a menu.

[ospreycove]

yup......it is a cultural thing.

[hotoynoodle]

lol. ok. i have seen packages labeled "anus" and "uterus" at a solutheast asian market!

[ospreycove]

hoto, without getting too graphic; I toured a Bryan pork processing plant in the South a few years ago. At one end live pigs went in, and at the other end, boxes of hot dogs on pallets emerged to be loaded on freezer trucks. During the explanation of the workings of the plant they detailed how nothing is wasted such as skin, bones, etc. and the anus, which is shipped to Korea where it is a highly sought out treat!!! So it all gets down to what form of protein you prefer.

[hotoynoodle]

there is hilarious video on youtube of bourdain in namibia at a warthog roast and anus was a big part of it.

snout to tail indeed.

always knew hot dogs were just the lips and tails anyway.

[hill food]

yes, but "tips and tails" is so much more poetic and alliterative. and the ambiguity covers all sorts of other parts that get tossed into the chipper.

[porker]

Nothing quite like a sweet piece of anus.

[hotoynoodle]

and a lovely addition to this thread from somebody with that screen-name!

[amokscience]

I've been missing out! Been curious ever since Bourdain's Morocco/Bedouin adventure. Saw a frozen package at a local Asian grocer at lunch (from Australia), picked them up, let them thaw during work, came home and roasted them. A definite mental/visual challenge to overcome but very mild tasting with a soft texture like weisswurst.

A few left so going to try them lightly floured and pan fried with some sort of Italian seasoning. Might also steam / boil them in a seasoned broth and serve with some Asian sauces.

[hill food]

wow, I'd forgotten all about this thread (not too surprising these days) but I'd go with a very simple seasoning, they can be easily over-powered IIRC, maybe even just garlic, S+P.

[monavano]

Last year, I made a sort of Medittereanean version of spaghetti and meatballs using spiced lamb meatballs in a tomato-yogurt-curry sauce. It was a nice change up1
http://houndstoothgourmet.com/savory-...

[porker]

I think BigEats was referring to lamb testicles...not meatballs...

I think I'll just keep using that...

[JungMann]

Why do I think it ironic that someone named "Trojans" is giving a recipe for that region of the lamb?

The halal butchers I grew up with sold them as "lamb eggs," the preferred slang in many languages, and a word that completely put me off trying them. If you stop back at the minimart, they may have a masala mix for "Katakat," which would be the traditional curry powder for mystery meat like "lamb eggs."

[trojans]

Too funny I didn't even catch it and that is my type of humor!

[JiyoHappy]

Katakat ..the right sound effect for lamb eggs !!

[mpalmer6c]

Search for mountain oyster recipes.

[trojans]

Gently Cut off the membrane and work the meat out of the membrane then cut in half and thread onto flat skewers if you have them season with lemons, salt, pepper and grill. Or saute with salt and pepper and finish with lemon. Eat them with lavash bread, they are fantastic.

[hill food]

sorry, only had beef ones.

those were skinned, the membrane peeled off, sliced into medallions and battered and deep-fried. surprisingly mild with a soft interior.

[FoiGras]

I have friends who get venison (deer meat) every Fall. They have venison steaks and make "deer balls" which taste very similar to regular ground beef meatballs. The venison is almost interchangeable.

But, one year at my friends' annual holiday party, they served the venison balls in a Hunter-type sauce. One of the guests seated next to me was hesitant to try the delicacy, especially after I referred to them as "Bambi's Balls." YIPES!

I would think that "lamb balls" would be delicious simmered in a light type of sauce and served over noodles--perhaps a creamy honey/mustard/crushed cashew sauce.

I'm sure that there are recipes available either on Chowhound Recipes category or Google. FoiGras

[porker]

I think BigEats was referring to lamb testicles...not meatballs...

Haven't tried, but I did see them plainly skewered and grilled over a hot fire.

[lynnlato]

Skewered balls, Porker? That's just painfully wrong.

Sorry, couldn't resist. :-)

[GodfatherofLunch]

Ha! Like grilled over a hot fire is a walk in the park.

[hill food]

get real, Bambis don't have balls. unless they really try I suppose.

and that's one for the books.

otherwise they're Bambi''s dad's hunter-shot-him-dead-and terrorized-a-generation-of-children balls.

wow, could Disney get away with these cherished childhood memories today?

[ciaohound]

Back in Kentucky, the lamb version used to be quite popular. Fixed the same way as hill food's beef version. In polite company, these were on the menu as "lamb fries." Cooked well, absolutely delicious to the point of addictive. Street talk had it you didn't really want to date a young lady who was too fond of these.

[hill food]

I'm curious about the lamb. I love the most-often found lamb flesh, and it's been a million years since I had the "oysters" of any kind.

I was just kidding you FG, neighbors were invited to share and it was QUITE interesting to guage the reactions.

[FoiGras]

Of course, we know that Bambi wasn't endowed with.....

Anyhow, are the "lambs balls" the same "delicacy" as the Rocky Mountain oysters offered at several restaurants in the Denver area, which I as an adventuresome eater, refrained from ordering? FoiGras

[greygarious]

Actually, he did. His missus gives birth to twins at the end of the film and I don't think there's a sperm bank in the Great Forest. ;-)

[coll]

Lamb fries, I was trying to remember that name. Chevy Chase won the contest for eating the most in Funny Farm. Sorry that's all I can contribute though.