3619. SWEET and SPICY BACON WRAPPED MEATBALLS

serves about 36


1 lb bacon, cut in half (my package had 18 slices so I had 36 half-slices of bacon)
36 meatballs (or as many as you have bacon slices)
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons chili powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together brown sugar and chili powder in a small bowl. Spray a broiler pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cut a pound of bacon strips in half and wrap them around meatballs, securing the bacon in place with a toothpick. Dredge the bacon wrapped meatballs in the sugar and chili mixture, pressing to coat it well. Place them on the greased broiler pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, depending on how you like your bacon.


bacon recipe source: Tonia Larson, The Gunny Sack (@TheGunnySack), August 2014

3538. ORECCHIETTE with BACON MEATBALLS

makes four servings

12 ounces ground pork

4 slices bacon or uncured smoked bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces dried orecchiette pasta

2 small shallots, thinly sliced

3 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped (2 cups)

4 cups kale or spinach, coarsely chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shaved Parmesan (optional)

 

In a medium bowl combine pork, bacon, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper until well mixed. Using a teaspoon, scoop the mixture into the palm of your hand and shape into 1-inch meatballs. Pieces of the bacon should be visible. 

 

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add half the meatballs. Cook and stir until meatballs are browned on all sides and the bacon is crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer meatballs to paper towel; drain. Repeat with remaining meatballs. Reserving 1 Tbsp. bacon drippings in the skillet; set aside. 

 

Cook pasta according to package directions in lightly salted water; drain. Reserving about 1/4 cup of cooking liquid. 

 

Cook shallot in reserved bacon dripping, over medium-high heat, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan with wooden spoon to release the brown bits. Return meatballs to the skillet. Add tomatoes; cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add pasta and kale; toss to combine, adding pasta liquid as needed to moisten the pasta. Season with salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Top with Parmesan before serving.

 

 

bacon recipe source: the Test Kitchen at Better Homes and Gardens

3231. BACON-WRAPPED MEATBALLS over BUTTERNUT SQUASH PUREE

serves 3-4


1 large butternut squash
3 tablespoons fat of choice (bacon fat, coconut oil, ghee, butter, etc.)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
salt, to taste
1 pound ground pork
½ yellow onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper, to taste
10 pieces of bacon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut the bulb off of the butternut squash and just use the end. It’s just easier to work with. Cut the skin off the butternut squash then dice the butternut squash into bit size pieces. Place butternut squash on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Pour choice of fat on top of butternut squash, sprinkle with garlic and onion powder and salt, mix well to coat the squash. In a bowl, mix together ground pork, onion, garlic cloves, and salt and pepper until well combined. Make 10 equal sized meatballs. Cut all pieces of bacon in half. Wrap a half piece of bacon around the meatball, then the other piece in the opposite direction. Tuck the ends of the bacon underneath the meatball then place it cut side down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Place both baking sheets in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until butternut squash is soft and meatballs are firm. Serve with a green, because then you feel super healthy. And colorful.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Juli Bauer, PaleOMG, December 2013

3058. PASTA with BACON GARLIC MARINARA and HOMEMADE MEATBALLS

For the Marinara:
2 strips thick-cut bacon, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 large heirloom tomatoes (about 3 pounds), blanched, peeled, and cored (keep the seeds)
salt and pepper 

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 

To serve:
1 pound of fresh pasta
parmesan cheese

First, get the sauce going (it will take about 2 hours). Saute the bacon in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over high heat until starting to brown. Add the onion, garlic, and red pepper and saute for an additional 2 minutes, stirring pretty constantly. Add the tomatoes, crushing them with your hands as you put them into the pot, and scrape the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, and reduce heat to a simmer. Let simmer for 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Immediately start the meatballs once sauce is simmering. Combine the breadcrumbs and milk in a small bowl, stirring until breadcrumbs are evenly moistened. Let stand for 10 minutes.

Place beef and pork in a large bowl and break into small clumps. Add the parmesan, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Whisk together the eggs and the garlic cloves in another small bowl. Pour over meat mixture.

Using your hands, squeeze the excess milk from the breadcrumbs, reserving the milk. Add the breadcrumbs to the meat mixture. Using your hands, quickly and gently mix all ingredients together until everything is evenly distributed, taking care to not overmix. Chill at least 15 minutes and up to one hour.

Moisten your hands with the excess milk, then roll the meat into golfball-size balls. You should have about 16 meatballs.

Using an immersion blender or regular blender, puree the sauce to the desired consistency. Return to a wide, shallow saucepan and bring back to a simmer. Add the meatballs in a single layer, and continue to simmer for about 20 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through. You'll want to turn them about halfway through, but be careful not to break them apart before they are ready to move.

Cook pasta and drain. Remove meatballs from sauce. Add pasta to sauce pan and toss to coat. Serve with meatballs and shredded parmesan cheese.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Relay Foods: An Online Market for Sustainable Foods & Everyday Groceries; adapted from a recipe by Molly Wizenberg, Bon Appétit

3035. CHEESE-STUFFED BACON MEATBALLS

yields four servings


Meatballs:

8 to 10 slices applewood smoked bacon
1 pound ground chuck
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 package onion soup mix
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tablespoon coarse black pepper
1 tablespoon beef stock
8 to 10 bocconcini mozzarella balls

Marinara:

1/4 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons freshly chopped basil leaves
2 tablespoons freshly chopped oregano leaves
1 tablespoon coarse ground black pepper
2 (14-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes in puree
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon

 

Meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Arrange the bacon slices on a sheet pan. Put in the oven and bake until crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the bacon from the pan to a cutting board and chop. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the beef, Worcestershire, onion soup mix, bread crumbs, black pepper, stock and the chopped bacon.

Form portions of the meat around bocconcini to make smooth balls. Arrange the meatballs on a sheet pan with a rack and bake until thoroughly browned, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Marinara:

Add the oil to a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot add the onion, garlic, basil, oregano and pepper and saute for a few minutes. Stir in the crushed and diced tomatoes, red pepper flakes and the bouillon. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the meatballs from the pan to a serving platter and serve with the marinara sauce.

bacon recipe courtesy of: Aaron McCargo Jr., "Dishes with Dad," Big Daddy's House, Food Network

2573. STEAK and BACON CHEDDAR MEATBALLS

makes about 2 dozen meatballs, 6 to 8 servings


3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, minced

scant 8 ounces bacon, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 pound cooked steak, diced

1 pound ground beef, 80 percent lean

6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated

3 large eggs

1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs

2 teaspoons salt

black pepper

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add onion and bacon, and cook, stirring, until bacon has browned and onion is translucent, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer onion and bacon to a plate and cool in refrigerator. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Use the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. In a large bowl, combine steak, ground beef, cooled bacon and onions, cheese, eggs, bread crumbs and salt, and mix lightly but thoroughly by hand. To taste for seasoning, heat a small skillet and fry a chunk of the mixture until browned. Add salt and pepper to taste. Roll mixture into golf-ball-size balls, packing firmly. Pack snugly into the prepared dish, making even rows to form a grid. Roast for 20 minutes, or until firm and cooked through. (The center should be at 165 degrees.) Let cool for at least 5 minutes before serving. 

bacon recipe courtesy of: The Meatball Shop Cookbook by Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow with Lauren Deen. Random House, 2011 | The New York Times, January 4, 2012 

2447. BUCATINI with BACON SAUCE and MEATBALLS

yields 6-8 servings


Bacon Sauce:
7 or 8 strips regular bacon
1 large onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper
two 28-ounce cans chunky ground tomatoes

Meatballs:
oil, for greasing pan
2 pounds 80-percent lean ground beef
3/4 cup breadcrumbs (made from day old Italian bread)
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
3/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced (not too fine)
2 eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound bucatini pasta

For the bacon sauce: Cut the bacon into pieces. Using a big saute pan or skillet that has a cover, cook over medium heat until almost crispy. Don't drain the fat. Add the onions to the pan. When the onions are almost cooked and start to become translucent, add the garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, and then add tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer on low for about an hour to an hour and a half.

For the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the beef, breadcrumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley, garlic, eggs and some salt and pepper. Form into 1 to 1 1/2-inch meatballs and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes. Then turn the oven down to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Make sure to turn every few minutes to brown on all sides.

Cook the bucatini according to the package directions.

Serve the meatballs over the pasta with the bacon sauce on the side. Garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Beau MacMillan, "Family Recipes," The Best Thing I Ever Made, Food Network

2307. SWEDISH MEATBALLS with GROUND BEEF, GROUND PORK and BACON

makes 6-8 servings


1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
2 1/3 cups low-salt beef stock, divided
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 cup minced onion
2 thick slices bacon, minced
1 pound ground beef
3/4 pound ground pork
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sour cream, whisked

Mix breadcrumbs and 1/3 cup stock in a small bowl. Set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer onion to a large bowl.

Wipe out pan and return to medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to bowl with onion. (Reserve bacon fat.) Add next 8 ingredients to bowl with onion mixture, mixing with your hands to blend. Fold in breadcrumb mixture. Using a 1 tablespoon measure, roll meat mixture into balls; transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter with reserved bacon fat in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Working in 3 batches and adding 1 tablespoon butter between batches, brown meatballs on all sides, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Transfer meatballs to a plate. Drain all but 2 tablespoons drippings from pot. Whisk in flour until smooth paste forms. Stir in 2 cups stock; bring to a simmer, whisking often. Return meatballs to pot. Cover; simmer until meatballs are cooked, 5-6 minutes. Remove from heat, whisk in sour cream, and stir to coat meatballs.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Jenny Rosenstrach and Andy Ward, Bon Appétit, September 2011, adapted from Smörgås Chef, New York, New York

2286. RICE with PORK, CHICKEN, MEATBALLS and BACON, with an EGG CRUST

serves 4-6


4 pints water
8 oz. lean pork, cut into large cubes
8 oz. boneless and skinless chicken meat
8 oz. minced veal, rolled into 1-inch meatballs
4 oz. thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 onions, 1 whole and 1 chopped
1 carrot
1 small turnip
4 tomatoes, seeded and grated or peeled, seeded and chopped
2 sprigs parsley, finely chopped
olive oil
10 oz. short-grain rice
6 eggs, beaten
salt and pepper

Place the water, pork, chicken, meatballs and bacon in a large pot, and bring to a boil, skimming off the foam.

Add the whole onion, the carrot and turnip and a dash of salt and return to a boil (again skimming of the foam); then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 2 hours.

Remove, and discard the vegetables; them remove the meat and set it aside to cool.

Reduce the cooking liquid on medium-high heat to about 32 fl. oz., and reserve.

When the meats have cooled, chop coarsely and mix together. Salt and pepper to taste.

In a cassola or flameproof casserole, make a sofregit (see below) with the chopped onion, the tomatoes, parsley, and oil.

SOFREGIT: olive oil, onions and tomatoes. Cover the bottom of a cassola, flameproof casserole or large frying pan with at least 1/2-inch of oil, heat for several minutes then add the onions. Reduce the heat and cook uncovered until the onions are wilted, stirring occasionally. Continue cooking in this manner until the onions have turned golden-brown and are beginning to caramelise, adding and cooking off a bit of water if desired. For a darker sofregit, the process may be continued until the onions reach the desired color, but do not let them burn. Add the tomatoes and mix well, the continue cooking until all liquid has evaporated, and the tomatoes have begun to "melt" into the onions.

———————————————————————————————————

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F.

Add the rice to the cassola, stirring to coat each grain with sofregit; then add about 28 fl. oz. of the reserved coking liquid, and stir well.

Bake 15 minutes; then remove from the oven. If any liquid remains, cook on low heat on top of the stove until it evaporates.

Mix the beaten eggs with the chopped meats, pour the mixture over the rice and return to the oven. Bake until golden-brown, about 5-7 minutes.

Serve directly from the cassola.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Catalan Cuisine: Europe's Last Great Culinary Secret by Colman Andrews. London: Grub Street, 2007. pp. 137-138

2185. SPAGHETTI and MEATBALLS in BACON VODKA SAUCE

Kosher salt
12-16 oz pasta
16-24 meatballs, thawed if frozen
3-6 slices bacon
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1-2 shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/2 cup vodka
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn, plus more for topping

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs. Drain the pasta.

Fry bacon until crisp in a large skillet. Remove to paper towels. Add the onion and shallots to the bacon drippings in the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, a minute more or until fragrant. Crumble the bacon into the skillet over the onions and add the meatballs, cooking until the meatballs are warmed. Stir in the vodka, tomatoes and salt to taste. Return the skillet to medium heat and simmer, stirring often, until the alcohol cooks off, 7-10 minutes. Stir in the cream and cook until the sauce thickens slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the parmesan and basil.

Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to combine. Season with salt. Serve topped with more parmesan and basil.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Krista, Krista's Kitchen, March 9, 2011

1963. BACON-WRAPPED SWEET and SOUR MEATBALLS

serves six


Meatballs
1 lb. ground pork
3 slices crustless white bread
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
10 slices bacon, cut in half
1 tablespoon vegetable oil for frying
Wooden toothpicks for securing bacon

Sweet & Sour Sauce
1 teaspoon vegetable oil for frying
1 – 8 1/4 oz. can pineapple chunks in heavy syrup, juice reserved
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup brown sugar
Pinch salt
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon fresh ginger
6 tablespoons ketchup
6 tablespoons reserved pineapple juice

For meatballs: Tear apart the bread into small pieces, soak in milk and mash well in small bowl. In medium bowl, mix the ground pork with salt, garlic powder and pepper, stirring with fork. Drain off the excess milk from the mashed bread and mix with the meat. Make meatballs 1″ in diameter. Wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around each meatball. Use half a toothpick for each meatball to secure the bacon to the meatballs. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook meatballs 20-22 minutes until bacon is slightly crisp, turning frequently. Drain on paper towels. Remove toothpicks.

For sauce: Heat oil in medium saucepan. Add the pineapple and cook over medium heat for 1 minute. Add all the remaining sauce ingredients to the pan and bring slowly to a boil stirring continuously until thickened. Allow to simmer 1 minute or until completely clear.

Arrange meatballs on serving platter. Pour sauce over the meatballs. Serve while warm.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Farmer John, 1 Hormel Place, Austin, Minnesota 55912 | Cooking on the Side, February 2, 2010

1091. DUTCH MEATBALLS with BROWN BEANS and BACON

1 lb. ground beef, as lean as possible
4 large white potatoes
1 large onion, chopped fine
1/4 cup paneermeel or bread crumbs
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
1 egg
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 tablespoon gehakt seasoning
brown beans (approximately 1 can's worth)
bacon (as much as desired), cooked and chopped

Mix all ingredients together and form into meatballs. Brown the meatballs on medium high heat in a frying pan, add gravy and allow to simmer 15 to 20 minutes.

Gravy: Melt 1 tablespoon butter or margarine. Add 2 tablespoons plain flour slowly, mixing well. Pour in 1 cup each of water and milk, mixing well. Season to taste. Or use your favorite brown gravy recipe.

Brown beans: For best results, rinse beans and remove stones. Soak overnight in salted cold water. Drain, place in a pot with just enough water to cover. Simmer approx. 1 hour - until tender. Canned beans are okay but of course you will only need a few minutes to heat them through before serving.

Potatoes: Peel and quarter 4 large white potatoes. Boil gently for 10 to 15 minutes until just done.

Onion: Chop the remaining onion into large chunks.

Serve the meatballs in gravy with the beans, potatoes, onions and bacon. The onion and bacon pieces are used as toppings on the beans or suit your own taste and sprinkle them over everything.


courtesy of: Recipes Log

782. CATALAN SOUP with BACON, BUTIFARRA and MEATBALLS

serves 6 people


500 grams veal
1/4 chicken
1 capon
chicken innards
200 grams pig cheek and ear, and 1/2 pig's trotter
ham bone
100 grams bacon
1 knuckle bone
1 knee bone
150 grams white "butifarra" (Catalan sausage)
150 grams black "butifarra" (Catalan black pudding)
250 grams soaked chickpeas
250 grams potatoes
1 green leaf cabbage
1 turnip, 1 carrot, 1 parsnip
1 leek and celery

For the meatballs
150 grams minced pork
150 grams minced veal
100 grams minced bacon
1 egg, breadcrumbs soaked in milk
1 clove of garlic, parsley, salt, ground cinnamon
1 soup spoon of flour

For the soup
300 grams large noodles

Clean, singe the hair, and wash the pork ear, cheek and trotter, and the chicken.

Put 4 litres of water in a saucepan, and add the meat and bones. Bring to the boil and skim the stock well. Then add the chickpeas, pre-soaked in lukewarm water for 12 hours, and bring back to the boil.

Add the carrot, turnip, parsnip, celery and leek and skim the surface again. Boil for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, until the meat is tender. Add the cabbage, chopped potatoes, the ready-prepared meatball and the butifarra. Leave to boil for a further half-hour. Add salt to taste.

When cooked, strain the stock.

To prepare the soup, bring the strained stock back to the boil and add the noodles. Cook for a further 12 to 15 minutes.

Serve the soup very hot, with the vegetables on a separate plate, with the meat, cut into pieces and with the bones removed.

Preparation of the meatball: Put the minced veal, pork and bacon in an earthenware bowl. Add the egg, parsley, chopped garlic and breadcrumbs previously soaked in milk. Add salt and pepper to taste, and ground cinnamon.


courtesy of: Nadal 2006, Barcelona City Council

744. MUSHROOM and BACON MEATBALLS

500 grams mince
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 mushroom soup mix
salt, pepper
1 egg
2 tablespoon oil
30 grams butter or margarine
125 grams mushrooms
3 rashers of bacon
2 tablespoons flour
1 beef stock cube
3 tablespoons prepared mustard
2 cups water
2 tablespoons dry sherry

Combine mince, sauce, soup, salt, pepper and egg, mix well. Shape tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls, heat oil in a large frying pan, add meatballs, brown well, remove from pan. Add butter to pan. When melted add chopped bacon and sliced mushrooms, saute for 2 minutes, remove from pan. Add flour and mustard to pan, stir until smooth and well browned. Add water and crumbled stock cube, stir until sauce boils. Add extra sauce, sherry, salt, pepper and meatballs. Reduce heat, simmer covered 30-35 minutes.


courtesy of: Wickham Family recipes, New Zealand

723. SAGE and BACON MEATBALLS with BUTTERMILK GRAVY

serves 4


1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
3 slices of thick-cut bacon
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
Olive oil
Salt
1 lb ground pork
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
4 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Black pepper

3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon thyme leaves, fresh or dried
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
Salt and pepper

Put the milk and breadcrumbs in a small bowl and mix with a fork. When the crumbs have softened squeeze out the milk and discard it.

Cut each bacon slice in half lengthwise then into 1-inch bits. Cook over medium heat in a heavy pan until crispy. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain and cool.

Drain the bacon fat from the pan then add the onion in a little olive oil and gently sauté until it is soft but not colored. Season with a pinch of salt and set it aside to cool.

In a large bowl combine the pork, breadcrumbs, bacon, onion, egg, Parmesan, sage, cayenne, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix with hands thoroughly. Shape the mixture into walnut-sized balls. This can be done several hours or even a day ahead.

To cook, heat a skillet large enough to hold all the meatballs in one uncrowded layer. Add a little olive oil. When the skillet is heated, add the meatballs, shaking the pan to keep them from sticking. Do in batches, if necessary. If there isn't enough room in the skillet the meatballs will steam instead of brown. Using tongs to turn so they brown evenly, cook the meatballs until they are no longer pink in the center and lightly browned on all sides. This will take between 8 and 10 minutes.

Remove from the pan to a plate and immediately make the gravy.

Pour off any drippings left in the pan and reserve. If you can and want to skim fat off, do so as it cools. In the pan melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and thyme and cook, stirring, for a couple minutes until the flour and butter smell nutty and have formed a paste.

Whisk in the wine and stock and bring to a boil. Continue whisking until the gravy is thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the buttermilk and bring back to a boil, then remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and serve. I just pour it right over the cooked meatballs.


courtesy of: Apartment Therapy : The Kitchen, 22 Howard Street 4i, New York, New York 10013, 212.966.7174