Mystery Meat No More

True confessions, I’m not well versed in cooking meat. The whole non-chicken section of that area of the grocery store is a bit mystifying to me (except for sausage, of course). It is far easier for me to whip up three fancy, tiered cakes than one 4 oz bit of steak. I’ve no idea what the differences in cuts are, aside from the more marbling is better, tender loin is fabulous, etc… Oh, although, my sister and I make killer Beef Wellington (no pun intended – it is loaded with saturated everything). So when my Chinese doctor (she’s a doctor of Chinese medicine and also Chinese) said that I should diversify my protein consumption to include things outside of chicken, I was like, uh oh.

So I went to the old standby of meatballs. I can do ground meat products fairly well. It’s like sausage waiting to happen, no? Turns out, most meatballs are fried. ARgh. But instead of doing this, I just put the raw ones into the sauce. I made meatballs and sauce using Ina’s meatball recipe and Jacques’ sauce. Delish, but not needing any more cheese. Rather, I put some of my basil from the fish recipe (still around) on top… The sauce is not so saucy, it is perfect for coating the meatballs. I could not be bothered cook whole wheat pasta, so I just ate them over raw zucchini (which is not the greatest combo, btw) but I’d recommend pairing with my favorite gnocchi recipe.

I first discovered gnocchi as a grad student. It was an unconventional yet so incredibly inexpensive for a crowd. People loved it, even this lovely Italian family. I haven’t made it in years, but it’s fabulous, at least I remember it as being fab. It is included below.

First, start by making the sauce.

Sauce
Recipe by Jacques Pépin from Food & Wine (with a few alterations)

1 Tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup minced onion
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes with their liquid (the Italian ones work the best)
1/3 cup pitted green olives (I cheated and used the ones that go into beverages)

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil. Add the garlic, onion, thyme and oregano and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cover and cook over moderate heat for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the olives. Puree the sauce in a food processor and return the sauce to the saucepan – if you want to that is. Note: If you will use a food processor, might as well do all the chopping of onions and garlic in it, as well as the bread crumbing and grating below)

Meatballs
By Ina Garten from the Food Network (with a few alterations)

1/2 pound ground veal 1/2 pound ground pork 1 pound ground beef (note, some stores have “meatloaf mix” which is this combination of three meats)1 cup fresh white bread crumbs – 4 slices of bread, crusts removed (I used wheat bread)1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (or 1 ½ tbsps dried)1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 2 teaspoons kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 extra-large egg,

You can whiz the slices of bread and the parmesan in a food processor to save yourself from the grating and chopping.

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs.
Add meatballs to sauce and simmer on low until cooked, 25-30 minutes.

Serve the two with a mound of roughly chopped fresh basil and serve with pasta, gnocchi or leftover zucchini.

Grad School Gnocchi
Based on spinach gnocchi gratin from Gourmet, May 1993

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup milk (it can be low fat)
¼ cup unsalted butter
1 cup durum semolina (you can use all purpose flour and whole wheat flour might work also)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper (or white pepper)
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, or to taste
fresh basil, roughly chopped (optional but lovely)

In a heavy saucepan bring the water and the milk just to a boil with the butter, stirring until the butter is melted, add the flour all at once, and stir the mixture briskly with a wooden spatula until it pulls away from the side of the pan and forms a ball. Cook the dough over moderate heat, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer the dough to a bowl and with an electric mixer beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, the salt, the pepper, the nutmeg, and the herbs.

Into a kettle of boiling salted water drop walnut-size spoonfuls of the paste, about 10 at a time, and simmer them, uncovered, for 5 minutes, or until they rise to the surface and are cooked through. Transfer the gnocchi as they are cooked with a slotted spoon to a large colander and let them drain well.

Serve with pesto or red sauce of choice and feed the masses!