Normally meatballs made with lean ground meat are a recipe for disaster. Not so here: The yogurt adds lightness and juiciness—but be sure to use whole-milk or at least 2% fat Greek yogurt.

For hors d’oeuvres, 1-inch-diameter meatballs are ideal; form 1½-inch-diameter meatballs for a main course. Instead of panfrying the meatballs, you can skewer and grill them. Or shape them into oval patties and fry or grill them—patties are great for stuffing pita bread.

Makes about 25 hors d’oeuvre-sized meatballs or serves 4 as a main course

SPICY MEATBALLS

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon milk, or more if needed
• 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onions
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2-3 tablespoons seeded chopped jalapeño chile (about 1 small jalapeño)
• 2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt (whole-milk or 2%)
• 1½ pounds ground bison (85%-95% lean), home-ground or store-bought
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine the bread crumbs and milk in a small bowl and stir until the bread is moist; add more milk if needed. Set aside.
2. Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle in the coriander, fennel, and cumin seeds and shake the pan until the seeds are lightly toasted and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and grind to a powder with a mortar and a pestle or a spice grinder. Reserve 1 teaspoon of the powder for the Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce.
3. Heat the same pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the onions and garlic, cover, and cook until the onions are soft but not colored, about 5 minutes, stirring from time to time. Transfer to a plate and refrigerate to cool for 10 minutes.
4. Dump the onions, soaked bread, and 2 teaspoons of the toasted seed powder into a food processor. Add the jalapeño and yogurt and pulse to form a puree. Scrape this mixture into a large bowl and add the bison, egg, cilantro, sage, allspice, salt, and pepper. Using clean hands, squeeze and toss the mixture until everything is well blended; do not overmix. (You can cover and refrigerate the mixture for up to 6 hours.)
5. When ready to cook, moisten your hands and roll the bison mixture into 1-inch balls for hors d’oeuvres or into 1½-inch balls for a main dish. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in 2 or 3 batches, cook the meatballs, turning occasionally, until lightly browned on all sides and cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes per batch. When each batch is done, transfer to a warm platter.

CILANTRO-YOUGURT SAUCE

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup plain Greek yogurt (whole-milk or 2%)
• 1 teaspoon reserved toasted seed powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 3 scallions, white and light green parts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
• 1½ cups chopped fresh cilantro (about 1 bunch)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION

1. Dump all the ingredients except the salt and pepper into a blender and blend to form a smooth mixture.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (You can make the sauce up to a day ahead and refrigerate it.)

TO SERVE

• Drizzle the sauce over the meatballs or serve the sauce separately. If serving as a main dish, give diners their own little bowls of sauce and let them go at it as they please.

ALTERNATIVE CUTS

• Ground lamb, goat, or grass-fed beef, or two or more ground meats combined.

COOK’S NOTE

• If grilling the meatballs, use flat skewers so that the balls don’t roll around when you turn them. Grill over medium heat for about 10 minutes, turning the skewers frequently, until the meatballs are nicely browned and firm to the touch.

LEFT OVERS

• Gently warm leftover meatballs, covered, in a microwavable dish, then stuff them into warm pita bread. Garnish with Cilantro-Yogurt Sauce, thinly sliced tomatoes, diced cucumbers, and thinly sliced sweet onions.