March 15, 2009

Sweet sour spicy meatballs (for lack of a better name)

Todo: I find the meatballs too dry. Next time add crushed tomatoes.

This recipe is from my grandma, but I use butter instead of oil, and real
garlic instead of powder. Grandma's recipe didn't specify, so I serve with
rice. My dad called this "Spanish meatballs", but when I compared to other
Spanish meatball recipes I decided it wasn't a good name.

This is about 4 servings.

Meatball ingredients:
1/3kg ground beef
1/3kg ground veal
1/3kg ground pork
3/4 cup milk
1 egg - beaten
3/4 cup bread crumbs (Italian bread crumbs if you want)
4 tablespoons shallots - minced
1 clove garlic - minced
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard (or prepared mustard)
1 teaspoon lard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Meatball sauce ingredients:
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil)
1 glove garlic - minced
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 cup ketchup
1 cup onions - shredded (or grinded in food processor)
	I use white onions
	Yellow onions taste stronger
	Red onions are more mild and sweeter
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash of Tabasco sauce - optional

Rice ingredients:
4 cups long grain rice (5-10% wild rice is optional, and better)
5 cups water
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:
Make the rice first. Add all ingredients in a rice cooker. My rice cooker
developed pin holes, so now I use the stove top and a saucepan. Bring to a
simmer on medium-low, then reduce to low until all the water is gone and there
are steam holes in the rice, then stop the heat and let it sit until the
meatballs and sauce are ready.

Meanwhile, make the meatballs. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl,
by hand, or in a mixer if you have one. Melt the lard on medium-low heat in a
large skillet. Make golf ball size meat balls, and add them to the skillet.
Cook for 25 minutes, covered, and turn after 12.5 minutes. I had to do this in
two batches because I didn't have a pan big enough.

Meanwhile, make the sauce. Melt the butter on medium-low heat and add the
onions. Sauté onions for 5 minutes, covered. Add the garlic, and sauté for 1
minute. Add the rest of ingredients, and raise heat to medium-low. Stir often.
Try not to boil this sauce, so the sugar doesn't burn. When you see that the
sauce is well blended and hot, stop the heat. If you see it boil, it's okay,
but remove it from heat and avoid scraping the bottom of the saucepan when
stirring.

Serve with the rice on the plate, the meatballs on the rice, and the sauce on
the meatballs and rice.

There are no greens in this, so serve with a salad to get a balanced meal.

Robert