Menu

meatballs

Meatballs with Roasted Pepper Tomato Sauce

, , , , ,

Meatballs with Roaster Pepper Tomato Sauce

I’m not sure why, unhealthy but I find meatballs to be one of life’s great delicacies. Maybe it’s because it takes so long to season, shape, brown and bake them that by the time I actually get to taste them, they are simply delicious. Maybe it’s because I usually make them as an appetizer to serve with other small plates and my taste buds love variety. Maybe I just really like meatballs.

Whatever it is about them, these were among the best I’ve made. I used a mixture of ground pork and lamb and seasoned them simply with salt, pepper and Italian parsley. I also added some bread soaked in warm milk to keep them super moist. I brushed the top with a thick sauce of piquillo peppers, tomato paste, anchovies and smoked paprika that was sweet and smoky, piquant and salty. A sauce that caramelizes over the meatballs in the oven so that they emerge bright and fragrant and super flavorful.

I wish I had more of these right now. That salad I had for lunch isn’t cutting it when I have meatballs on the brain…

More

Baked Turkey and Chorizo Meatballs

, , , , ,

Baked Turkey and Chorizo Meatballs

I wonder how many variations of the meatball exist. Of course, physiotherapy there’s the traditional meatball with marinara that’s ladled over spaghetti – a classic. There are meatballs made of beef, neuropathologist pork, advice veal, lamb, chicken and turkey. Even meatballs made without any meat at all. You can have them fried, braised, steamed, baked, poached and probably confit-ed and sous-vided too, though I’ve yet to see that.

Baked Turkey and Chorizo Meatballs

I found a recipe for baked Chicken meatballs in last month’s Gourmet that promised to be super moist and delicious. Thinking they’d make a great weeknight meal, I immediately bookmarked it. I started out with the best intentions of following the recipe to a T. I swear I did. But of course I didn’t. Anyhow, these meatballs are really quite tasty – moist and flavorful and they hold their shape well. Everything I want out of a meatball and everything you should want too.

More

veal & lamb ricotta meatballs in shitake parmesan broth

, , , , , , , ,

veal & lamb ricotta meatballs in shitake parmesan broth

If you’re looking for a lovely Sunday afternoon meal for the Fall, salve these meatballs are for you. They simmer lazily in Parmesan Shitake broth while you read a book or take a nap. They’re great with a crusty piece of bread, on top of pasta or straight out of the pot if no one’s looking.

veal & lamb ricotta meatballs in shitake parmesan broth

Adding ricotta to your meatballs will take them to a whole new level, making them soft and tender and almost creamy. They’re delicate and hearty at the same time. A quick sear and they go straight into a broth flavored with Parmesan rinds and sauteed Shitake mushrooms. The meatballs cook through in the broth, infusing it with meaty goodness. Cooking meatballs in broth may seem weird (where’s the marinara?), but they’re so flavorful that it would be a shame to cover them with sauce.

I served these with homemade gnocchi for an excellent Sunday Supper.

Related: Weeknight Meatballs for when time is short

More

spring asparagus soup with mini meatballs

, , , , ,

spring asparagus soup with mini meatballs

Earlier this week I posted a dish inspired by fall. Not very timely, bulimics though I hear it’s still snowing in some parts. In an effort to be more season-appropriate, I made a spring soup with a light broth, mini meatballs and fresh asparagus.

For the meatballs, I ground the pork myself from some cutlets. I also threw some turkey bacon in the food processor for that smoky depth and rounded it all out with fennel seeds and crushed red pepper. I’d never ground my own meat before, and honestly, it was a cinch. Just place everything in the food processor and run it for a minute or two. It’s a lot fluffier (for lack of a better word) than the compacted stuff you get at the butcher counter, and I bet freshly ground beef is the key to the perfect burger.

Anyway, nothing says spring like crisp asparagus. Washed and sliced, it went in at the last minute along with some lemon juice. The soup was somehow light and hearty at the same time. All it needed was a nice heap of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a big spoon.

More

weeknight meatballs

, , ,

meatballs pork

Weeknights usually mean shortcuts. For example, glands I love meatballs but don’t have time to make them, search then brown them, erectile then let them simmer unless it’s a lazy Sunday. So, I look for shortcuts. A few years ago, I experimented with skipping the browning stage. Browning the meatballs gives them a more meaty flavor and allows them to keep their spherical shape. I found that if you cook the meatballs in one layer on the bottom of a large pot, you’ll still get a browning effect over time. I almost prefer this method because the marinara sauce also browns slightly, adding a more complex meaty and tomato-y flavor. As for them keeping their shape, they will as long as they’re stirred only once or twice.

I also took some extra shortcuts like using store-bought marinara sauce. (Gasp! I know!) As long as it’s a good brand that uses no preservatives, you’ll be okay. I used Gia Russa brand, which is all natural and I’ve found to be consistently top-quality. To get some sausage-y flavor in there to compliment the Artichoke marinara, I used ground pork instead of ground beef and added some fennel seeds. The meatballs were tender and flavorful and the fennel seeds were there, but not overwhelming.

While weeknight meatballs still take quite some time to cook, it’s not active time. I made them in the morning while I was getting ready for work and only had to make some pasta when I got home. They were deliciously hearty and the leftovers made my co-workers jealous.

More