Turkish Spiced Sausage & Chicken Meatballs

Served Over Tzatziki and a Quick Cherry Chutney

APPETIZER
Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground chicken
1 lb. Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage
1/3 C golden raisins
1 t paprika
¼ t ground cumin
½ t good cinnamon powder
¼ t dried thyme
1/8 t fresh grated nutmeg
1 t grated fresh ginger
1 T fresh grated garlic
3 T fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 t kosher salt
½ t black pepper
2 T Italian bread crumbs
1 T heavy cream
½ C chopped cilantro
2 good extra virgin olive oil

Tzatziki:

• 10 ounces fat free Greek yogurt, 1/3 C chopped, peeled, and seeded English cucumber, 1 clove garlic grated, 2 T lemon juice, ¼ t fresh dill weed, ¼ t salt and 1/8 t black pepper. Combine. Set aside.

Cherry Chutney:

• In a small saucepan add 8 oz. cherry preserves, 3 T rice wine vinegar, 2 T brown sugar, ¼ C white sweet onion chopped, ¼ C dark raisins. Cook on low, letting bubble and cook down for about 10 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Method:

• Combine the sausage and chicken and mix those two together well. Add all other ingredients except cilantro and olive oil. Form into small cocktail meatballs, about 1 inch diameter. Place close together in a large baking dish lined with parchment paper and drizzle just a couple of T of good olive oil on top of meatballs. Make sure your meat is room temperature before placing into a pre-heated 375 degree F oven to bake for about 25 minutes.
• To plate, take half the tzatziki and spread out on a large platter. Do the same with half the chutney swirling to two together but not blending too much. Place meatballs on top of slurry, using all the oil in the baking dish, add a generous amount of the cilantro all over the top. Place the rest of each of the dips into smaller bowls for those who want extra. Serve with cocktail skewers.