Recipe: Lamb Meatballs filled with Smokey Blue Cheese & Chevre

Sounds hard? It's incredibly easy. A tender, nicely spiced lamb meatball reveals a center filled with melted Smokey Blue cheese from the Rogue Creamery, and tangy Cypress Grove Fresh Chevre.

For 18 medium sized meatballs you'll need:
2 lbs freshly ground lamb (you may substitute finely ground lean beef)
1 egg
1/4 cup dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley-minced
1/4 cup fresh sage leaves- minced
3 cloves garlic-minced
1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp sea salt

For the filling:
Mash together at room temperature:
5 oz Rogue Creamery Smokey Blue Cheese
5 oz Cypress Grove Fresh Chevre

Mix ground lamb with egg, breadcrumbs, fresh herbs and spices.
With about two tablespoon of the lamb mixture roll lightly into a ball, flatten slightly, and make an indent with your finger. Pinch off about 1 -1/2 teaspoons of the cheese mixture and tuck into the indentation. Wrap meatball around cheese, and re-roll lightly into a ball. Repeat with remaining lamb and cheese.

Heat a large saute pan over med- high heat with about a 1/4 inch of good olive oil in the bottom.
Gently place each meatball into the pan, not touching. Saute until meatball is no longer stuck to pan. Turn gently to another side of meatball and let cook until deep golden brown. Repeatedly turn meatballs until all sides are deeply golden. Internal temperature should be at least 155 degrees F.
Remove and serve immediately, alone or over your favorite pasta tossed with some sauteed mushrooms, onions, sundried tomatoes and olive oil... grate a little Parmigiano -Reggiano ....yum!!!