Grandma's Meatballs - Only Better!

A while back, my friend Anneli (@Delicieux_fr on Twitter) and I wrote guest posts for each other’s blog. The subject was stuffed peppers and we had so much fun that we agreed to do it again. Since I had suggested the ingredient the first time, it was Anneli's turn to come up with the theme. She sent me a list (there's always a list, isn't there?) and one in particular seemed perfect. Balls! OK people, get your minds out of the gutter, we’re talking food here.

She explained that since there are so many foods that are served in a round form, we would have a broad list to choose from. You may think I've picked the absolute most obvious kind of food ball -- the meatball -- and I'd have to say that you're probably right, but let me explain.

My grandparents came to the United States from Calabria, Italy in the early 1920s. Like hundreds of thousands of other immigrants, they brought with them a culture of food that was specific to not only their country, but their local region. Some of the best memories of my childhood are of Sunday afternoon dinners at my grandparent’s house where spaghetti and meatballs were front and center.  The recipe my grandmother used was simple, a good handful of grated cheese lightly and delicately mixed into each pound of ground meat.  This works beautifully if your sauce is complex and has been simmering with bones and sausages all day, the way hers was.  The recipe that Cynthia and I use today is based on what my grandmother brought from Calabria, but our sauce is a simple marinara made with tomatoes picked at the height of summer from our garden, roasted with garlic and olive oil then frozen or canned.  So, for me, there was almost no choice but to write about these meatballs! For a more detailed description of how we roast our tomatoes, click here.

You might ask, what's so special about meatballs? Anyone can make them, right? Well, sort of, or at least some version of them. The fact is, I've had lots of bad meatballs over the years. Done right, they can be flavorful and tender (yes, I said tender). Done badly, they are often tasteless and rock hard. Ick! The trick to tender balls is.....drumroll please.....simmering sauce.  When the balls hit the sauce, it must have already been brought up to a boil and then back down to a nice simmer.  Bringing it up to a boil first insures the entire pot has been heated thoroughly.  If your sauce is boiling or cold, you will have tough balls.  No one likes tough balls.  Well, OK, our dogs will eat them, but then they've not turned their noses up to anything from the kitchen yet (or from the yard for that matter). Here’s how you too, can have tender balls.

Ingredients (makes 12 meatballs)

• ·         1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ·         1shallot, preferably the long french variety, minced
• ·         1 tbsp fresh minced rosemary or 1 tsp dry crumbled
• ·         1/4 cup port wine 
• ·         6-8 dashes worcestershire sauce
• ·         2 tsp soy sauce
• ·         2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped fine
• ·         2 eggs (optional)
• ·         1/4-1/2 cup freshly grated cheese - parmigiano reggiano, locatelli romano or grana padan
• ·         1/2 cup FRESH bread crumbs*
• ·         2-4 tbsp milk or cream
• ·         1 pound ground meat (1/4 veal,1/4  pork,1/2  beef – this blend adds flavor and texture)
• ·         salt/pepper to taste

 Preparation

• ·In a small skillet, on medium high heat, saute the shallot in EVOO until a little browning begins at the edges.  Add rosemary, wait 30 seconds, then add the port.  Allow to bubble until reduced by at least half.  Set aside to coo

•  In a small bowl, combine fresh breadcrumbs with milk or cream.  If your bread is very fresh, you'll need less milk - you want a nice moist crumb, but not wet, otherwise you'll make paste.  Not tasty.  Let sit for 5 minutes or so and fluff it right before you use it. 

•  Place ground meat in a large bowl, hit with 6-8 dashes Worcestershire.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, flip it over.  Sprinkle soy over, then parsley, eggs (if using), cheese, shallot mixture and breadcrumbs. Mix thoroughly but gently, do not shmush.  When it's mixed to your satisfaction - if it's too wet add a little more cheese and if it's too dry add a little milk or tomato sauce - pinch off a little bit, form it into a mini pattie and saute.  Let it cool a bit and taste.  Adjust seasoning if needed and please don't skip this step.  

• You could, at this point, form the meatballs into a meatloaf, or patties for meatloaf burgers.  It’s also tasty dropped into stock for Italian wedding soup. Mix it with rice and stuff some cabbage leaves or peppers.  I think you get where I'm going with this - it's a very versatile mixture.

• Form into balls.  I use a small ice cream scoop that holds a tablespoon, and scoop twice, loosely. You want to form a nice ball, but again, don't shmush.  Light but firm pressure. 

• At this point, you have two options, to fry or not to fry.   If you're feeling lazy, just drop the balls into SIMMERING sauce.  If you want a little more umami going in the finished product, saute them until golden brown and delicious on all sides. 

 

• This can be tedious and messy, and although I like a brown ball, I think the un-browned balls are a wee bit tender-er and I don't miss the extra bit of meatiness.  In fact, when it's a simple marinara, I think I prefer it without the extra step.

• Once the balls are in the sauce, simmer for at least 1/2 an hour. 

 

• When they’re done, they should be tender enough to cut with almost no downward pressure by a fork and should look something like this…..

 
*A note on fresh breadcrumbs: day old bread works best, and I use my spice mill to pulverize it.  Added bonus, it cleans the mill and may pick up a little interesting spice in the process.  Should your bread be too fresh, toast it before blitzing.  Need to be gluten free?  Sub in some crushed Rice Krispies, Gluten Free or cooked rice that you've taken a knife to, but do not use the milk or cream, just straight in.

Buon Appetito!

You can see Anneli’s guest post about balls on my blog site, A Reluctant Foodie by clicking here!

 Originally posted on January 4, 2013 at http://www.delicieux.eu/?p=1374 as a guest post.

Getting in a Stew!

A Guest Post by Anneli from Delicieux

Hello again, I'm back here again on A Reluctant Foodie! Al and I decided to go head to head for a third time with a new blog challenge as we have enjoyed our previous battles so much (Stuffed Peppers and Meatballs).

This time round we settled on the theme of 'Soups of Stews' which seemed utterly perfect for this time of year and the kind of food you feel like eating over the Winter months.In fact, I eat soup numerous times a week and I am always pulling out the slow cooker at the weekends to knock up some kind of stew. When it's cold outside, I crave bowls of hot nourishing food that comfort and sooth the soul. So I was more than happy to ponder and devise such a restorative dish for this challenge.

After much consideration I settled on a Seafood Stew with the main ingredient being a rather divisive one so I hope I don't scare you off! I have chosen to use squid, not everyone's favorite ingredient but certainly one of mine. So much so that if I see squid on a restaurant menu nine times out of ten I will opt for it. I love the taste and texture when it's cooked right. The key is to cook it very quickly or very slowly. Anything in between can result in rather unappetizing rubberiness, but get it right, and it's a true delight.

I think that for most people, seafood stews are more affiliated with Summer. They are of course lighter than their meatier counterparts and are often bursting with Mediterranean flavors. So my challenge was to produce something that befitted Winter and the innate need for heartier substance that it breeds.

So, as well as squid, I have included chunks of chorizo sausage which adds an intense heat to the stew and also king prawns. All cooked leisurely with tomatoes and red wine in a rich, powerful seafood stew that most certainly has the power to banish your Winter blues and bolster your body against the elements.

The squid is soft and stained red by the wine, the chorizo provides a kick of heat and the prawns pop juicily in your mouth.The resulting stew is truly delicious and memorable. If you are anti-squid, this could be the dish that changes your mind. Honestly, I cannot imagine anyone who wouldn't like this wonderfully flavorsome dish.

This was most definitely worth getting in a stew over!

Spicy Squid, Prawn and Chorizo Stew

Serves 4

• 300 grams of squid, cleaned and prepared into rings
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 tsp of dried thyme
• 1 400 gram can of chopped tomatoes
• 125 grams chorizo, chopped into chunks
• 150 ml red wine
• 200-400 ml water
• 250 grams of raw king prawns
• 1 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 squeeze of lemon juice

• In a large pan, heat the olive oil. Add your squid rings and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the onion, chorizo, garlic and thyme and cook for 5 minutes until it hall softened and some of the red oils have seeped out of the chorizo and stained the other ingredients beautifully. 

 

• Stir in the tomatoes, red wine and 250 ml of the water. Bring to boil, cook and for 2 hours. Check occasionally and give it a stir. Add extra water periodically of you think that the sauce is becoming too dry and thick.

• 10 minutes before the two hours of cooking are up, add your king prawns to the stew and stir them in. Squeeze in some lemon juice and let it cook for the last few minutes until your prawns are cooked through.Check the seasoning.

• Serve with some couscous and sprinkle over some parsley. Heavenly.

About the Author

I am a Private Chef living in South West France. I am a 36 year old mother of two, living the rural dream. I love to cook all food and am inspired by fresh produce and the cuisine here in France. From rustic traditional dishes to vegetarian fine dining, I try to cook it all and share my journey with you. Stop by and check it out here!

And also into Herbs On A Saturday hosted this month by London Busy Body

 

Valentine's Day/Mardi Gras MashUp

This year we decided to take advantage of the calendar and have a little fun with our Valentine's Day dinner. Since both the Hallmark designated day of love (too sarcastic?) and Mardi Gras fell in the same week, we thought doing a MashUp of the two might be fun. It should be noted that we never, and I mean never, go out to eat on Valentine's Day. Most restaurant chefs (if they were being honest) would tell you that it is literally impossible to produce their best food when they are crushed by the types of crowds that populate restaurants on that oh so special day of love (sheesh, I just can't seem to help myself). So, for us, a home cooked meal it is.

Those of you that have read this blog in the past know that I am the luckiest guy in the world to be married to Cynthia who, among her many talents, is an excellent cook who pays attention to not only the palate but the presentation. This particular meal, served in five courses, was romantic, spicy, fun, soul satisfying and delicious. My compliments to the cook!


First Course: Quick Fried Okra Spears

This simple starter is made by dipping the okra in butter milk and hot sauce and then dredging it in spiced corn meal. Fry for about 45 seconds and lightly salt. Yum.

Second Course: Fried Catfish Filet with a Homemade BBQ Sauce served on a Maytag Blue Cheese Slaw

I lived in Alabama for a few years a long time ago. One of the things I took away from that time was a love of fried catfish. The homemade BBQ sauce and the blue cheese slaw are a nod to a dish from one of our favorite restaurants in Las Vegas, Rosemary's, which served it with shrimp. I think I may like this version even better.

Third Course: Citrus Salad with Local Greens

After two fried courses, a palate cleanser was in order. The blood oranges, pink grapefruit and mandarin oranges offset perfectly with the greens from our winter garden and my house made vinaigrette.

Fourth Course: Shrimp and Grits with a Spicy Bacon, Sausage and Mushroom Gravy

Shrimp and grits is a classic southern/cajun dish. In this version, the shrimp were poached in butter and garlic and the gravy was "kicked up a notch (or two) with a liberal shot of hot sauce and cayenne pepper.

Fifth Course: Ice Cream Sandwiches with Homemade Cherry Vanilla 

 A couple of years ago we bought a very good gelato maker.We don't use it often, but when we do, it make amazing gelato. For this little treat, we used cherry vanilla ice cream sandwiched between two home made chocolate chip cookies. A perfect ending to a great meal!

Food Porn from Paris

You may want to close the door, take off your shoes and pour yourself a glass of red wine before playing this beautiful video from Jesse Salto, courtesy of my foodie family.  Thanks Zee and Nick!

http://vimeo.com/7850818

Authentic Unbeatable Swedish Meatballs!

Think Ikea, But 100 Times Better

A Guest Post by Anneli from Delicieux

I am delighted to be back here on A Reluctant Foodie doing another guest post for Al. Our last challenge (Stuffed Peppers) was such fun that we decided to do it again and this time I suggested 'Balls"!

'Balls' was a fun choice as it gives such a large scope for experimenting - meatballs, fish balls, rice balls, chocolate balls, ice cream balls...the possibilities are endless. Not to mention the childishness of repeatedly writing 'balls'!! (and yes, I'm 36, not 3!)

In fact, I had no trouble at all deciding which 'balls' I was going to make, it was inevitable. I am half Swedish and I was brought up in a house where certain Swedish foods were regulars at our table. I was aware of Ikea and their meatballs before the rest of the world began their love affair with them.

My Mormor (Grandma) used to make them fresh and serve them with dollops of sweet lingon berry sauce, boiled potatoes and delicious creamy gravy. I remember how she would break up my potatoes for me and then pour over the sauce and mix it in....it was heavenly.

Even Ikea's processed meatballs are pretty darn good. I don't think I have ever met anyone who doesn't know of them and in fact, love them! Doesn't everyone who shops at Ikea stop for a plate of their Swedish meatballs? They make the whole nightmare experience so much more acceptable, if even just for a few minutes. My kids gobble them up as though they were chocolate not meat. My homemade meatballs really do taste like Ikea meatballs, just much better!

Swedish meatballs are superior to all other meatballs in my opinion. They have a lighter texture...not too dense or crumbly. They are simply seasoned so that the quality of the meat remains the main flavor. And to top it all off, they are called 'kottbullar' (pronounced "shurt bullar') *she childishly giggles again*!

The key to these balls is two fold. Firstly, the meat is a mixture of  70% beef and 30% pork - good quality mince. I got mine from the local butcher, no scrimping. (My Mormor would also add some chicken liver for a really luxurious meatball. Secondly, to achieve the lightness, quite a lot of breadcrumbs soaked in milk and cream are added to the meat before shaping into balls. This makes the mince quite wet and loose in texture. It might seem a bit strange butstick with it, the end result is unlike the usual stodgy balls you may be used to .

My daughter was 4 years old on December 23rd and I decided to make my meatballs for her birthday party. Definitely something that kids enjoy and adults alike. I decided to serve them as a little nibble to pass around during the festivities with some dips. My recipe makes 40+ meatballs so plenty for everyone or enough to make a substantial meal for the family to serve with sides.

These balls are seriously good, I kid you not.....Here's how to make them:

Swedish Meatballs - Makes around 40 balls

Ingredients

• 700 g beef mince
• 300 g pork mince
• 200 ml milk
• 100 ml double cream
• 150 g fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 tsp salt
• 4 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 eggs
• 150 g grated onion
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Preparation

• First of all, you soak your breadcrumbs in the milk and cream and leave for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add to the two types of mince, the salt, pepper, and sugar and give it all a good mix.
• Then stir in the onion and egg.

• Next you need to add the breadcrumbs and milk. Do this a little at a time, mixing in as you go. You may find you do not want to add all the milky mix but do try to add as much as you can. It will make the mince quite wet but not sloppy, much wetter than perhaps you would when making meatballs but that's what makes these so special.

• Next. to make the balls, wet your hands with a little cold water which will help the meat not stick to much. But if you want to get a nice uniform sized meatball, you could pipe the meat into little portions and then roll. It really does work and you will find yourself with much more even little balls. You want them to be quite small...not quite as big as a golf ball.

• Then melt a good knob of butter and a little of the olive oil in a pan and start to fry your meatballs. Do them in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, adding a little more butter and oil each time. Shake the pan around every so often to allow the balls to bump around and keep their roundness rather than be flat on one side. They take about 10 minutes to cook. Remove and keep warm until you have all your balls done.

• I made my meatballs in the morning and then just reheated them in the oven for 15 minutes at 180C just before serving. As I said, you can serve them in many ways. As a nibble with some dips - I used BBQ, Ketchup and a spicy Spanish sauce. Or along side chips or mashed potatoes with a creamy gravy and Lingon if you can get it. You could also add them to a pasta sauce. Anything you like really - they are delicious and versatile. Any way you have them, they will be gobbled up in minutes.....no one can resist the power of the Swedish meatball!

I just wanted to say thanks again to Al for having me come and guest post! Always a pleasure and hopefully it's becoming a regular thing! Please come over to www.delicieux.eu and check out Al's guest post also featuring some amazing balls!!

Biog: I am a Private Chef living in South West France. I am a 36 year old mother of two, living the rural dream. I love to cook all food and am inspired by fresh produce and the cuisine here in France. From rustic traditional dishes to vegetarian fine dining, I try to cook it all and share my journey with you. Stop by and check it out!

Thanksgiving Butternut Squash Spread

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and as you may imagine, it's kind of a big deal around here.  The planning typically begins in August when seeds go into the ground, along with a hope and a prayer that maturity will be reached by mid-November.  Radish, beets, swiss chard, a spicy mesclun mix from Johnny's and  shelling peas are still growing well (albeit under a low tunnel with a 4 mil greenhouse film covering) and should be a part of our dinner this year.

As for planning the meal itself, recipe selection began today.  It's kind of like the NFL draft, all past recipes on one side, possible new recipes on the other.  There are some non-negotiables in our family.

1.  Fresh turkey, in any form and cooked in any manner.  We've deep fried them, dry brined, wet brined, Cajun injected, spatchcocked, de-boned and rolled, stuffed, unstuffed and broken down to cook legs and breasts separately.  This year's method is yet to be determined.

2.  Mashed potatoes and gravy.  Lots of both.  The gravy project began earlier this week with The Making of the Turkey Stock.  Turkey wings and backs get roasted with leeks, carrots and celery, then moved to a stock pot with a good amount of water and simmered for a couple hours to extract every bit of turkiness.

3.  Corn.  It's a boy thing.  All the y chromosomes in our family would raise a holy ruckus if corn weren't on the table, in all its yellow (or white) glory.  We've tried fancy schamancy preps here, but it always seem to come back to Green Giant Shoepeg White Corn in Butter Sauce.  I figure once a year won't kill me.  It's a Connecticut/Jersey thing.

4.  Cranberry sauce, jellied, from Ocean Spray.  Personally, I can't stand the stuff and always make a fresh alternative.  My husband, the Foodie, would leave the table to go buy a can if it wasn't in evidence.  Like sour cream, he doesn't have a problem opening the can and taking a spoon to it.  Eww.

Those are The Basics that Must Be Provided.  Pretty simple really.  If only I could leave it at that.

But I can't.

We don't sit to eat until 2pm typically, but no one goes hungry until then.  The all day buffet starts with a light and healthy breakfast and morphs into heavier hors d'oeuvres and canapes as the morning progresses.  Here's one of our favorite I'll be making the day before - it's simple, tasty, and healthy.

Butternut Spread

2# squash peeled, cleaned and cut into 1" cubes
1 tbsp brown sugar, not packed
1 tbsp olive oil

Toss ingredients together with salt and pepper.  Spread onto a lined cookie sheet and roast at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until squash is tender and slightly caramelized.  Very fresh squash will take a little longer to reach this state, but never more than 30 minutes.

While squash is roasting, in a small pan saute:

one small onion, minced
in 1 tbsp butter

once onion is translucent, add:

 2 cloves minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground coriander (or to taste)
1 tsp ground cumin (or to taste)

and continue to cook another minute, until coriander and cumin are fragrant.

Dump squash and onion mixture into a food processor and blitz, adding up to 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil to smooth out the puree.  I typically use as small amount as possible to achieve a good consistency because to finish, you're going to add:

1/4 creme fraiche or full fat Greek yogurt

I don't like sour cream as a creme fraiche substitute, it's too heavy and sour.  The perfect substitute may be Mexican or Salvadoran crema, look for it in your local bodega.

Finish with a nice pinch of salt and some additional black or white pepper.  If you plan on serving this cold, over season it just a bit now when it's still warm or room temp, it will be just right when you serve.

This spread is a wonderful with crackers or bread, as well as your typical crudite.  It makes a nice change from hummus, and if your kids won't eat that, they may like this.  It's also great on apple slices, makes a tasty cheese sandwich spread, and thinned with some broth makes a nice soup.

For a vegan version, substitute olive oil for the butter and use a little coconut milk (unsweetened) instead of creme fraiche.

Happy cooking!

Last Minute Gifts for Your Favorite Cooks

A Guest Blog by Cyn

Hello Holiday Shoppers!

What to get the Cook in your life?  It's been a hot topic of conversation lately, with friends and family all wondering what to procure for each other for the holidays, and some of my foodie friends sharing their lists for Santa with me.  We've got some great ideas, some of which are even free!!!

For the avid cheffers in your household, here are my favorite to get and receive gifts:

Wicked sharp paring knives, the semi-disposable kind that come in a multi pack at your local home store.  We don't always want to use our 'good' knives for some of the more menial tasks in the kitchen.  Loud and obnoxious colors are a good thing for handles, so don't be afraid to color it up a bit.  The hotter the color the less likely we are to lose the knife in whatever we're peeling.


Kuhn Rikon Swiss Peelers are the best vegetable peelers for my money.
And as veg peelers are nearly impossible to sharpen, you'll want to buy them in packs of 3, which fortuitously, is how these are packaged.  Great stocking stuffer!  (Note of Warning:  these are for advanced peelers - they work best and fastest when you hold the veg in one hand and rotate as you peel with the other, bring the peeler toward you.  More of a professional bad ass style of peeling, but with a little practice, anyone can master this.  It's incredibly fast, and no, you won't cut yourself, regardless of what your mother may have told you.  Good for peeling carrots. <snort>)

Finishing salt.  Some of which can now be found at your local grocer - check the aisle - betcha you find something fancy!

Interesting vinegars.  Champagne, fig, raspberry, we don't discriminate.  Really want to impress us?  Make us a bottle.

Good cookbooks.  Check out James Beard Award Winners, Amazon has a nice list.  If you are lucky enough to have a good used book store in your city, a well loved and used version of a classic cookbook (preferably with notes in the margins) makes a great gift.  Some of my favorite must have food books are, in no order of preference;

The Flavor Bible, Karen Page and Andrew Dornenberg
Gourmet Cookbook (the yellow one), edited by Ruth Reichl
Baking: From My Home to Yours, Dorie Greenspan
anything by Jamie Oliver (what can I say?  I have a soft spot for grungy Brits who have big gardens and want kids to eat well)
and speaking of Brits ----
Nigel Slater's Tender is a fabulous food and garden read
Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi is a must for your vegetarian.

Now about those 'free' gifts....find a few of your favorite recipes and copy them onto pretty card stock.  Double points for writing them out by hand.  This is probably one of my most favorite gifts to receive.

Create a coupon for a free kitchen clean up, or for a free recipe organization of everything that's been shoved into that file folder next to the Cuisinart.  It'll cost you some time, but isn't spending a little time with your loved ones really what the holiday is all about?