Polpettine - Tuscan Meatballs

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is another simple entree for 2 or 3 people. The recipe can, of course, be doubled or tripled if necessary. The meatballs are easy to make but for a robust flavor that speaks of Tuscany, they should be refrigerated for at least an hour before they are sauteed. The food of Tuscany is really quite simple and it relies heavily on the olive oil of the region, a unique salt-free bread called pane Toscano and white beans that are cooked in a clay pot that's called a fiasco. I've had fiascoes in my kitchen but they weren't clay pots. Tradition plays an important role in all aspects of Tuscan life and extends to food that they eat. The Tuscans are a frugal lot. Nancy Jenkins, the author of Flavors of Tuscany, calls them "the Yankees of Italy" because they are as plainspoken, forthright and as penny pinching as any New Englander she has met. Polpettine were originally made from leftover meat that was finely chopped and mixed with stale bread to extend them to feed all who assembled at the family table. The lemon sauce that's served with them, while scant, is lovely. Here's the recipe to feed those who assemble at your table.

Polpettine - Tuscan Meatballs...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3/4 pound 85% lean ground beef
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
Flour (about 1/4 cup)
4 tablespoons olive oil
Juice of 1 large lemon
Salt and pepper

Directions:
1) Mix beef with cheese, egg, parsley, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2) Shape into meatballs. Lightly roll in flour.
3) Cook slowly, turning often, until golden brown.
4) Raise heat. Add lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat. Adjust seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot. Yield 18 to 24 meatballs.

Cook's note: While this can be served with pasta, that is not a traditional accompaniment in Tuscany. I serve this with white beans and rosemary or roasted new potatoes. I also like to serve a great bread with this to mop up the lemon sauce.

Recipe adapted from My Tuscan Kitchen by Judy Witts Francini

Albondigas - Spanish Meatballs in Tomato Sauce

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love Spanish food and don't think it gets nearly the attention it deserves. I became interested in it while searching for recipes scaled to feed two people. My research led me into the world of tapa and a new way of eating. A tapas is not a specific type of food, and it is not, as I once believed, a starter course. Tapas is a style of eating that revolves around small dishes of something edible. Anything can be a tapa as long as the portion is small and it is served with a drink. The word "tapa" means lid or cover. Originally a slice of cheese or ham was served with a drink to cover it and keep away the flies. The more fanciful believe the custom can be traced to a kindly king, who couldn't drink on an empty stomach. It's said he issued a royal decree that demanded all his subjects have food with their drinks. While there was a time in Spain when tapa were free, that is no longer true. At any rate, I started to use tapa recipes for some of our meals and was really pleased at how well they worked. These tasty meatballs, served in a lovely tomato sauce, are from a recipe I've adapted for use at our dinner table. It's a really simple recipe. Chances are you have all the ingredients you need to prepare it in your pantry and refrigerator. The original recipe called for meaty tomatoes. I use that method when heirloom tomatoes are readily available. The rest of the time I rely on a large can of plum tomatoes. A 28-ounce can of plum tomatoes is equivalent to 4 large tomatoes and its a great substitute. Use whole plum tomatoes. For reasons I don't understand, diced tomatoes retain their shape and don't cook down. This recipe is best with a pulpy tomato fondue. You can use any type of ground meat, but I think ground turkey produces dense meatballs that aren't as pleasant as those made from beef and pork. This recipe is scaled to feed 2 people. It can be doubled. Here's the recipe.

Albondigas Con Salsa De Tomate...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Peptita Aris

Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground beef
4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt + salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper + pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 large tomatoes, chopped or 1 (28-oz.) can plum tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons red or white wine
2 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
Pinch of sugar
Thyme or parsley for garnish

Directions:
1) Place ground beef, green onions, garlic, Parmesan cheese, egg yolk, thyme, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix gently to combine. Shape into 12 equal sized meatballs.
2) Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Saute meatballs, turning several times, until brown, about 5 minutes.
3) Add tomatoes, wine, sugar and rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes until tomatoes are pulpy and meatballs cooked through. Sprinkle with thyme or parsley. Serve hot. Yellow rice is a lovely accompaniment. Yield: 2 servings.

Swedish Meatballs - A Scandinavian Festival for Foodie Friday

Every year the folks in Junction City, Oregon, gather to celebrate their Scandinavian heritage. They throw quite a party. It's a four day celebration and visitors to the Scandinavian Festival never go home hungry. There's a day for Sweden, a day for Norway, a day for Finland and one for Denmark. Before we tour the fair and its food, I'd like to share a recipe for the best Swedish meatballs I've ever had. They are simple to make, but I guarantee they'll enhance your reputation as a cook. Additional pictures of the fair follow the recipe. Have fun and try not to eat too much.



Swedish Meatballs

Ingredients:
4 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 cups milk
1 cup packaged bread crumbs
4 tablespoons butter, divided use
1 cup very finely chopped onion
3 teaspoons salt + salt to taste
2 pounds 85% lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1-1/2 teaspoons dried dill weed, divided use
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
2 (10.5-oz.) can condensed beef broth, undiluted
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
1 cup light cream or half-and-half
Garnish: fresh dill or parsley

Directions:
1) Combine eggs, milk and bread crumbs in a medium bowl.
2) Place 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet and saute until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
3) Remove onions from skillet and add to crumb mixture with 3 teaspoons salt, beef, pork, 1/2 teaspoons dill weed, allspice, nutmeg and cardamom. Mix to combine (don't overdo this). Refrigerate, covered, until mixture can be shaped, about 1 hours.
4) Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Shape meat mixture into 45 meatballs.
5) Heat reserved 2 tablespoons butter. Saute meatballs in batches until browned on all sides. Transfer to a large baking pan or roaster with 2-inch sides.
6) Pour off all but 1/4 cup pan drippings. Stir in flour and pepper. Slowly add beef broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add cream and reserved 1 teaspoon dill weed. Pour gravy over meatballs.
7) Bake, uncovered for 30 minutes. Garnish with fresh dill. Yield: 6 servings.

Recipe adapted from The New McCall's Cook Book



















This recipe is being linked to Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

Königsberger Klopse

Authentic Königsberger Klopse are made from ground veal, beef, and pork with the addition of small amounts of anchovies, grated onion, bread crumbs, eggs, and spices. The traditional creamy sauce is made from the broth in which the meatballs are poached. The meatballs, also called dumplings, were first made in Königsberg, the capital of East Prussia about 200 years ago. My long, lean Germanic husband who has a very discerning palate loves these. This very ethnic dish has surprising popular appeal. I hope you'll try them.

Königsberger Klopse

Ingredients:
Broth
2 cups chicken broth
1 small bay leaf
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/4 cup dry white wine
5 black peppercorns
1 tablespoons capers
Meatballs
8 ounces ground sirloin
8 ounces ground pork
8 ounces ground veal
2 eggs, slightly beaten
10 tablespoons stale bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 medium white onion, grated
Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
5 teaspoons capers, drained and chopped
5 teaspoons anchovy paste
2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Flour (for rolling)
Sauce
Finely grated zest of 1/2 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup good quality sour cream
2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions:
1) Combine broth, bay leaf, cider vinegar, white wine, peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon capers in a dutch oven. Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
2) Combine beef, pork, veal, eggs, bread crumbs, milk, onion, juice and zest of 1/2 lemon, 5 teaspoons capers, 5 teaspoons anchovy paste, butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Mix lightly, just until combined.
3) Form meat mixture into golf-ball sized balls. They will be sticky and hard to work with. Roll them in flour and carefully place into hot broth in 2 to 3 batches; simmer each batch for 15 minutes, but do not boil.
4) Carefully remove meatballs from broth with a slotted spoon, and keep them warm in a covered bowl while making the sauce. Discard bay leaf and peppercorns.
5) Add sour cream, lemon juice and zest to hot broth. Heat through - do not boil.
6) Return meatballs to heated sauce, stir gently and warm through. Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with parsley. Yield: 6 servings.

Persian Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce

I love the beginning of a new year. The slate is wiped clean and the days that lie ahead are mine to savour, squander or share as I see fit. I began the new year in front of the fire reading Tillie Olsen's Tell Me A Riddle. She passed two years ago this day and it seems a fitting way to honor the power of her voice and the words she's left behind. I've read this story so often that whole portions of it have been committed to memory. I've learned that when you love a book, it loves you back. So, tears and all, it was a lovely way to start the day. I've made no resolutions but I have renewed my goal to learn one new thing each day. I've also renewed my commitment to ideas passed on to me by two outstanding women. Forty years ago, while hiking in the Canadian Rockies, Bob and I met a family who hiked with us into the Valley of the Ten Peaks. The family was led by the grandmother who was familiar with the trail. As we walked she shared her secret for aging well. It had nothing to do with diet or beauty aids. It was an intent to go through life with at least two friends - one ten years younger and the other ten years older than herself. The goal was to learn from both and keep rooted in the past, present and future. My other inspiration was a seventy-something hiker, this one with a cane, who fought age with movement and resisted the lure of a rocking chair. It took some time but she reached her goal. Persistence pays! On this first day of the new year, I won't speak to you of pan de muertos or hiker's gorp, but in keeping with the theme of renewal I do have a new, more festive recipe to share. I think you'll like this version of an old Jeff Smith recipe. I sampled the meatballs last night, so I have no hesitation in recommending them to you. I'm going to serve ours in pita pockets, but if you want something more substantial rice pilaf would be lovely. Happy New Year to you all. This year will be unlike any other in our country's history - a special inauguration day is coming. We've waited such a long time for this. God bless us and the country we love. Let's hope it is a good year. It will certainly be one of change, challenge and opportunity.

Persian Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:
3/4 cup fine ground bulgur wheat
2 cups boiling water
2 pounds lean ground lamb
1/2 cup fonely chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup very coarsely chopped pine nuts
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2) Place bulgur in a small bowl. Cover with boiling water. Soak for 30 minutes. Drain well.
3) Combine ground bulgur, lamb, onions, pine nuts, olive oil, eggs, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, lemon juice, dill, mint, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well.
4) Form into 1-1/2 inch balls and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until just cooked through.
5) Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a medium frying pan. Add onion and saute until tender but not brown.
6) Heat yogurt in a small saucepan to a gentle simmer. Mix cornstarch with water; add to yogurt, stirring until smooth and thickened. Add onions and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat. Keep warm.
7) To serve, place meatballs on a large platter. Drizzle with yogurt sauce. Yield: 6 servings.