Stroganoff Meatballs

Listen.  I grew up eating Beef Stroganoff.  

(BTW, everyone on the East Coast starts important conversations with the command, "Listen".  Not only is it scary, it also causes me to not listen.  Because I am struggling inside with the fact that they told me to listen, implying that they were under the assumption that I wasn't actually intending to listen in the first place.  This all causes a lot of anxiety inside my Midwest soul and makes me doubt all things about my existence.)

For those of you who did not grow up eating Beef Stroganoff, it is basically mushrooms and beef cooked in a beef gravy made with sour cream.  Usually served over egg noodles.  This meatball recipe tastes exactly like the classic Beef Stroganoff dish, but I have to say I like it in meatball form better!

To make a long story short, my sister, Jen, told me I had to get this meatball recipe from my Aunt Linda.  See, Jen is a vegetarian and does not eat meatballs anymore.  So, she likes to live vicariously through me.  We were talking once and she was like, "do you remember those meatballs Aunt Linda used to make at all the parties at her house?  You HAVE to make them."  My Aunt Linda is a wonderful cook (and entertainer) and I always enjoyed anything she made.  I got the recipe from her in the summer, so it has taken me a while to get around to making them.  And man, they are SO good.  

This is also my first time baking the meatballs before letting them simmer in the sauce.  And I was pleasantly surprised by how incredibly tender they were.  It was no different from frying them in some oil.  And much easier.  Thanks so much Aunt Linda for a great recipe!

Stroganoff Meatballs

adapted from Aunt Linda and Uncle Dick

for the meatballs:

1 1/2 lbs. ground beef (85/15)

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/3 cup milk

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp salt

dash pepper

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

bread crumbs, as needed

for the sauce:

1 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp butter

1 8-ounce package of cremini mushrooms, cleaned and chopped

a couple of handfuls of more exciting mushrooms, cleaned and chopped (I used shiitake)

salt and pepper

1 tbsp butter

3 tbsp flour

1/2 cup of red wine

2 cups of chicken stock

a few spoonfuls of sour cream

4 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish

Make meatballs: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Combine all ingredients for the meatballs except for the bread crumbs. Once mixed together, add in a handful or two of bread crumbs in order to form the meatballs easily. You want to add as little of the bread crumbs as possible.

Form meat mixture into approximately 24 meatballs. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

While meatballs are baking, make the sauce. In a large, deep skillet, melt together 1 tbsp of olive oil with 3 tbsp of butter. Add the chopped mushrooms and sauté until soft, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Add 1 more tbsp of butter and the flour. Cook, stirring constantly for about 2 minutes. Add the red wine and deglaze the pan. Cook and reduce down for another couple of minutes. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let cook for another 5-10 minutes.

After 15 minutes in the oven, remove the meatballs and when the sauce is ready, submerge the meatballs in the sauce. Let simmer for at least 20 minutes, but the longer the better. Add sour cream and keep warm on the stove or transfer to a crockpot until ready to serve. Serve over buttered egg noodles, on their own as an appetizer, with bread, mashed potatoes, or a baked potato. Top with green onions.

(Servings: 6-12, Prep time: 15 min., Cook time: 1 hr., Difficulty: Easy)

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foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  9/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Spaghetti and Meatballs

What are we having for dinner?  

Spaghetti.  

That is what we always called spaghetti with marinara sauce growing up.  Just spaghetti.  And when my mom made it, it was a huge pot of "spaghetti sauce" with meatballs, sausage and ribs.  It was a family favorite.  It took all day to make.  Throughout the day, everyone would go tear off a piece of bread and dip it in the pot.  You know, to see how it was coming along.  

This recipe is much different from my mom's.  But I love them both.  For different reasons.  

This is the 3 ingredient, simple tomato sauce that I fell in love with last winter.  Tomato, butter and onions.  It such a delicious sauce.  Can I say it is beautiful?   

The meatballs are pretty typical Italian meatballs.  The main difference from most that I have made is that they aren't pan fried in oil before being submerged in the sauce.  They are cooked all the way through in the sauce.  The result is a much softer meatball.  Kind of to die for.  I was eating some leftovers for lunch and I was seriously giving myself mad props up in the cubicle.  

I love this recipe.  

Spaghetti and Meatballs

by Molly Wizenberg via Bon Appétit

For the sauce:

2 28-ounce cans whole peeled tomatoes in juice, drained, juice reserved,

tomatoes finely chopped

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 medium onions, peeled, halved through root end

1/2 teaspoon (or more) salt

For the meatballs:

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French or country-style bread

1/3 cup whole milk

8 ounces ground beef (15% fat)

8 ounces ground pork

1 cup finely ground (not grated) Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup finely chopped Italian parsley

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs

2 large garlic cloves, pressed

1 pound spaghetti

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (for serving)

For the sauce: Combine tomatoes with juice, butter, onions, and salt in large wide pot. Bring to simmer over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer uncovered 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard onions. Using immersion blender, process sauce briefly to break up any large pieces of tomato (texture should be even but not completely smooth). Season sauce with more salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat.

For the meatballs: Combine breadcrumbs and milk in small bowl; stir until breadcrumbs are evenly moistened. Let stand 10 minutes.

Place beef and pork in large bowl and break up into small chunks. Add 1 cup ground Parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Whisk eggs to blend in small bowl; whisk in garlic. Add to meat mixture. Using hands, squeeze milk from breadcrumbs, reserving milk. Add breadcrumbs to meat mixture. Using hands, quickly and gently mix meat mixture just until all ingredients are evenly combined (do not overmix). Chill mixture at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Moisten hands with some of reserved milk from breadcrumbs, then roll meat mixture between palms into golf-ball-size balls, occasionally moistening hands with milk as needed and arranging meatballs in single layer in sauce in pot. Bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until meatballs are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before continuing.

Cook spaghetti in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain.

Using slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to platter. Add pasta to sauce in pot and toss to coat. Divide pasta among 6 plates. Top each serving with meatballs. Sprinkle meatballs with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and serve.

(Servings: 6, Prep time: 90 min., Cook time: 75 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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foodforscot Ratings:  

Shanon (taste):  9/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  4/5

Dishwashing Effort:  4/5

Meatballs in Sauce with Creamy Polenta

This was pretty much amazing. I wanted to make polenta with meatballs and decided to make it this week...last week. Then, TODAY, Pioneer Woman posted a recipe for spaghetti and meatballs. So, I decided to base my recipe off of hers because everything she does is amazing. I didn't follow hers exactly, but I adjusted the recipe below to what I actually did.

These meatballs are SO good. The sauce (which is really quite a bit different from hers), was also soooooooo goood.

And this is a great little polenta recipe. I have some polenta directly from Italy that Scot brought back for me last summer. It is a little finer than regular corn meal. And it is just delicious.

The trick to good meatballs, from my experience of making a lot of bad ones, is. Ok, I need a new sentence. First, the meatballs can't be too big. The diameter should be 1-1.5 inches. Any bigger and they won't cook all the way through. Second, you need to brown them first for a few minutes on each side. Then, finish cooking them in some sort of a sauce. Then, you need to mix the ground meat with various things to keep them moist...bread crumbs, cheese, herbs, etc. Eggs to bind them. But, I have done all that plenty of times and still had failure. So, I think the first two things are key.

Polenta hardens when it cools. So, this polenta recipe is just enough for 2-3 servings (/us for dinner). I made some pasta to package up with the leftover sauce and meatballs. You could also just save the meatballs for meatball subs. You could also make a double batch of polenta. Make a roll of the leftover polenta (in plastic wrap...like how you would make an herb butter). After it sets up in the refrigerator, slice it into disks, and grill it. Then, you could serve the grilled polenta with the leftover sauce and meatballs, or something else. Lots of options.

Meatballs and Marinara Sauce

adapted from Pioneer Woman

Meatballs:

3/4 pounds Ground Beef

3/4 pounds Ground Pork

3/4 cups Fine Bread Crumbs

2 whole Eggs

3/4 cups Freshly Grated Parmesan

1/4 cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Minced

1/4 teaspoons Salt

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Splash Of Milk

1/2 cups Olive Oil

Sauce:

1 whole Yellow Onion, peeled

2 whole (28-ounce) Can Whole Tomatoes

1/4 teaspoons Salt

1 teaspoon Sugar

a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1/4 cups Flat-leaf Parsley, Minced

8 whole Fresh Basil Leaves, Chiffonade (optional)

Start sauce. Put all the ingredients for the sauce except the fresh herbs (parsley and basil) in a Dutch oven or large pot. Cook for about 45 minutes (or longer…the longer, the better), mashing up the tomatoes with a potato masher or back of the spoon as they cook. Add chopped parsley after sauce has become less chunky and more saucy.

To make the meatballs, combine meat, garlic, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper, parsley, and a splash of milk in a mixing bowl. Mix together well with hands. Roll into 25 1 1/2-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. Place cookie sheet into the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up.

To brown the meatballs, heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatballs 8 at a time, turning to brown. Once browned on both sides, put in marinara sauce. Continue until all the meatballs are browned and in sauce. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes, stirring very gently a couple of times during the simmer.

Just before serving, stir in basil if using.

Serve over polenta (recipe below). Sprinkle with extra Parmesan.

Polenta

by Tyler Florence

2 cups water or chicken stock

3/4 cups finely ground cornmeal or polenta

1/8 cup heavy cream

1/8 cup freshly grated Parmesan

1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter

Pinch kosher salt

In a large saucepan bring the chicken stock to a slow simmer. Quickly whisk the cornmeal into the stock and lower the temperature to keep it from splattering. Stir in the cream, Parmesan, butter, and salt. Turn off the heat and keep in a warm place until the meatballs are ready.

(Servings: 6 for sauce and meatballs, 2-3 for polenta, Prep time: 45 min., Cook time: 75 min., Difficulty: Easy)

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North African Meatballs with Date Couscous

I made North African Meatballs with Fig Couscous a few months ago. We really enjoyed it, but I would say it isn't for everyone. First, you have to like green olives. Second, it has some unique flavor profiles in the both the meatballs and the sauce. The couscous was great, even though the seeds in the dried figs get stuck in your teeth. The meatballs were unbelievably tender. It was a very cheap meal (probably around $10) and ALMOST a one pot wonder. I will definitely make it again.

I also love Melissa D'Arabian if you didn't already know.

North African Meatballs with Date Couscous

Recipe Courtesy of Melissa D'Arabian

Ingredients

For the North African Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1/2 cup pitted and chopped briny olives
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup chicken stock or broth
• 1 (14-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Meatballs:

• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• 3/4 pound ground beef
• 1/3 cup finely ground rolled oats or fine bread crumbs
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, for cooking
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• Couscous with Dried Dates, recipe follows

Directions

To make the North African Sauce:

In a large saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat and saute the onion and garlic until soft but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the lemon zest and olives and cook for 1 more minute. Add the white wine, deglaze the pan, and let it reduce for a 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, canned tomatoes, sugar, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon, and simmer to blend flavors, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To make the Meatballs: In a medium bowl, add the egg and tomato paste and stir until smooth. Add the cilantro, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon and mix until well blended. Stir in the ground beef and oats, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and combine gently after each addition. Do not overmix. Rolling with your hands, make about 32 meatballs, about 1-inch in diameter.

In a large saute pan, heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil over medium heat, and brown the meatballs in batches until golden on all sides. Add more oil, as needed. Transfer the meatballs to the pan with the sauce and let simmer for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve over the Couscous with Dried Dates.

Couscous with Dried Dates:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup chicken stock or broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped dried dates
• 1 cup quick-cooking couscous
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring the water, stock, and oil to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the dates followed by the couscous. Cover the pan tightly with a lid, remove from the heat, and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Transfer to a serving bowl and serve.

Yield: 4 servings

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