Meatballs have been the rage lately. I’ve had a dish of veal meatballs and veal roast on the menu that sells like hot cakes - It doesn’t even compare to other highlights on my restaurant menu in terms of sales.
The Italian mama in us
A basic meatball recipe is fairly easy to prepare. Fresh ground veal shoulder or stewing meat- that’s most likely how you will encounter it at markets - plus herbs such as parsley, thyme or rosemary and some bread crumbs to keep your meatballs light, and bouncy in texture, salt and pepper to spice things up will seal the deal.
In the restaurant we control the portion size with an ice cream scooper so that they are all the same size but in your home kitchen that won’t be necessary and they can be simply rolled like an Italian grandmother. The recommended size is 3-4 ounces per meatball which is about the size of a golf ball. I prefer to roast them at 250 degree Fahrenheit which is relatively low in temperature and keeps the wanted moisture in the meat. It’s best to use a shallow baking sheet pan which captures the natural roasting juices in the oven.
(veal meatball with veal cheeks beets and carrots)
Veal Meat Balls
(recipe yields 15 large meatballs)
½ baguette bread
2 cups milk
3 pound fresh ground veal
2 tablespoons vegetable oil such as canola
1 onion diced small (1/8-inch dice)
3 garlic gloves thinly sliced
10 grindings black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika powder
1 tablespoon Kosher style salt
1 tablespoon Dijon-style grainy mustard
2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
1. Cut crust of baguette with a serrated knife then cut in 1/4-inch dice (it should yield 3 cups)
2. In a bowl poor milk over diced bread then let sit for ten minutes (in this way bread will absorb milk).
3. Combine ground veal with bread/milk mixture.
4. In a pot (2-quart sized) heat vegetable oil then cook cut onion and sliced garlic (4-5 minutes) on medium heat setting.
5. Combine cooked onion/garlic mixture with rest of ingredients then add to bread/veal mixture.
6. Portion with ice cream scoop (3-4 ounce) and place on baking pan.
7. Cook meat balls at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes (check internal temperature with instant thermometer it should be 165 degree Fahrenheit).
We have had great success switching the ground veal in the above recipe to deboned ground duck leg meat. Duck legs make a very moist silky textured meatball because of the natural fat content in duck leg meat – ever wondered why French duck leg confit is so tasty? We developed a recipe with 1 cup more breadcrumbsc which literally absorbs the juices of the meat and yields even more flavor.
(duck meat ball mac & cheese with Morbier cheese)
Dressing for the occasion
These little guys are versatile and can wear many hats. The most simple version is a jar of your favorite tomato sauce. However you choose to adorn your meatball make sure you combine the roasting juices from the shallow pan with your sauce. A grating of fresh nutty Parmesan cheese or sharp Pecorino will complete your meatball extravaganza.
I combine duck meatballs in our newest restaurant – Little Cheese Pub www.littlecheesepub.com
with French Morbier cheese melted right on top of it served with house-made macaroni pasta. We prepare it in a traditional mac & cheese fashion. Caramelized onions cooked with balsam vinegar made into a puree adorn the top of the mac & cheese in little spoonfuls -- this is a smart way to cut the richness and hence add some flavor balance to the dish.
