Lamb Meatballs with Buttery Lemon Orzo

Method

1. Pre heat oven to 350 F. Breaking ground lamb into pieces, place in a large bowl.
2. Add parmesan cheese, 1 tbsp minced garlic, egg, oregano, 1 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and red pepper flakes to bowl. Mix together to blend all ingredients well.
3. Form ground lamb mixture into palm sized balls and place onto a baking sheet.
4. Bake in pre heated oven for 15 minutes, then broil for an extra 1 - 2 minutes to brown. Keep warm until orzo is ready.
5. For the orzo: Add chicken stock to a cooking pot and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook the orzo pasta as instructed. Add 2 tbsp minced garlic, melted butter, 1/2 cup chopped parsley, lemon zest, 1 tsp lemon juice, and 1 tsp of sea salt to the same pot as the cooked orzo. Mix.
6. For the tzatziki: peel the skin from the cucumber and chop it into small pieces. Drain the juices by squeezing them gently in a paper towel until dry. Place in a small bowl. Add fresh dill, remaining lemon juice, remaining minced garlic, remaining parsley, black pepper, ground cinnamon, and remaining sea salt. Whisk together until smooth. Service alongside lamb meatballs and orzo. *This is even better if you make it ahead of time and keep in a tightly sealed dish in the fridge - this allows the flavours to marry.