Meatball Sandwiches With Chipotle-Cherry BBQ Sauce

From marketofchoice.com. Perfect for summertime entertaining. We tested this recipe using two thirds of a pound of free range beef and one third pound ground lamb. I prepared the BBQ sauce two days in advance.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Meatballs

• 1  egg
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cumin seed, toasted and coarsely ground
• 3  tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
• 12  ounces ground chicken (can substitute ground beef, lamb, turkey, pork, etc.)

• Chipotle-Cherry BBQ Sauce

• 1⁄4 cup dried cherries (I used a combination of tart and sweet dried cherries)
• 1  cup ketchup
• 1⁄2 cup  cherry preserves
• 2  tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons molasses
• 1  tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1  tablespoon soy sauce
• 1  teaspoon lemon zest, grated
• 1 -2  chipotle chile in adobo, minced (I cheated and added 1/2 tablespoon Tabasco 'Chipotle' Sauce)
• 1  teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1  teaspoon onion powder
• 1  teaspoon  unsweetened cocoa powder (I used a rich, dark chocolate powder)

• Toppings

•  flat bread (such as naan or Greek pita)
•  butter lettuce leaf
•  red onion (sliced in rings or diced)
•  tomatoes, sliced or  cherry tomatoes, halved
•  smoked gouda cheese, grated (we used a combination of Tillamook's Extra Sharp Vintage White Cheddar and Rogue Creamery's 'Smoky B)
•  fresh cilantro, minced (my addition)

Directions

1. Meatballs: In a bowl, beat egg, salt, pepper, allspice, cumin seeds and parsley.
2. Add chicken and mix until combined (do not overwork).
3. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
4. With wet hands, form 20 meatballs, then flatten slightly into thick patties. Grill or fry in a pan until cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Keep warm.
5. Cherry-Chipotle BBQ Sauce: Soak dried cherries in hot water for 10 min, then drain well. After draining the cherries, I chopped them up into smaller pieces using a wet knife.
6. Mix all ingredients together in medium-sized saucepan (use more or less chilies to taste).
7. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to LOW, cooking for 10 minutes, stirring often. Do not let the sauce dry out.
8. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
9. To Assemble the Sandwiches: Heat flat bread on the grill.
10. Place some BBQ sauce in the center, then lettuce, onion and tomatoes.
11. Add grated cheese of your choice, fresh cilantro and top with 2-3 meatballs.
12. Drizzle with more BBQ sauce.
13. Enjoy!
14. Assembly: