Musings on Meatballs - A Lifetime Quest For the Perfect Recipe

The dishes with the most familial history have always been, for me, the most daunting. Because of this, I avoided making traditional Italian meatballs for years. There is no dish, in my family at least, more revered and more universally appealing to a wide audience. As most Italian Americans will tell you, their grandmothers' made them best, and the same is of course  true for my Neapolitan grandma. After her passing, my mother and I tried in earnest to recreate her fantastic meatball recipe - but first we had to find it. This meant scouring her files and recipe boxes for her handwritten index cards and little papers shoved into issues of Gourmet Magazine decades old. Once obtained, we'd be routinely perplexed at the fact that no matter what we did or how carefully we followed along, the result was always just a smidgeon less delicious than my grandma's. My mother has always been a superb cook, and with some time, she got her meatballs to a place we could all be proud of. 

When I came of age and was finally inclined to try my hand at grandma's recipe solo, the pressure was really on. The card, written in her beautiful, curly penmanship, looked simple enough, but to my dismay, included several phrases that were up for interpretation like: "a scant cup of freshly grated pecorino." Now I know that a scant cup means just shy of a cup, but how shy??" Such uncertainties really invite neuroses, if you ask me. 

I credit my relationship with my now husband, in part, to my mother's meatball prowess. During our years dating, I would always encourage her to make extra meatballs, lasagna, or sauce for me to bring to him. At any rate, he got hooked. Now that we are married, he enjoys when I make meatballs from time to time, but he still delights in informing his mom, also a fantastic cook, every time my mother sends him extra food of any kind. I asked him once why he persisted in advertising this because after all, I wouldn't want my mother in law to think my mom was stepping on her toes. He responded by telling me with a totally straight face that he likes to "create competition" so as to obtain more gifts of food from mother and mother in law alike...

It wasn't until my mom and I became aware of the Rao's Cookbook, that our meatball recipe quest officially came to an end. Their recipe is nearly identical to my grandmother's method with two exceptions - she would use chunkier pieces of homemade breadcrumbs soaked in milk, and she'd omit one cup of water. The Rao's recipe offered me clearer direction than her index card, which of course I still use and treasure, and it took away some of the guess work by laying out the method in a clearer fashion. It has since become, to my mind, the best iteration of traditional Italian-style meatballs out there... and I can live with that, because they are so similar to my Mima's! 

I've become accustomed to superior meatballs from years of enjoying them with my family, so they just aren't something I ever order at restaurants because, well, it's rare that I am not totally disappointed. Here are some of my collected pet peeves about one of my favorite meals, and some ideas on how to remedy these issues:

The Problems That Plague Meatballs:

Flat flavor -  A lot of meatballs are tasty but not complex. They hit one flavor note.


Overly firm and dry meatballs - The outside of a meatball is a key area. When it is firm, dry, or rubbery, the meatball is ruined. Adding enough liquid to the meat mixture is necessary to achieving the ideal texture. 

The quest for the perfect spherical shape is an exercise in folly -  When a meatball comes out perfectly round, be warned. Any meatball worked that hard is likely to be sub-par. Check out my theory next time you spy a super-round meatball. 

Solutions for the Perfect Meatball:


Do not overwork the meat - I cannot stress this enough. Handle meatballs with the lightest touch possible as you form them. Please, for me. 


Use a combination of meats - The best meatballs, my grandma's, Rao's, are made of more than just beef. The veal and the pork combination with the beef is absolutely key to the flavor complexity, and imparts a buttery richness to the flavor without adding any heaviness. The meats also have varying fat contents that aid in preserving the moisture needed for the perfect ball. 


Method - Cooking method is one of the big reasons some meatballs come out too firm on the outside. I have never had a baked meatball I enjoyed as much as the fried version. The texture comes out totally different, and not for the better. Now taste and texture preferences are clearly subjective, but please, give yourself a chance to experience a fried Italian meatball. After all, the people at Rao's agree! You'll never go back to baking. Now frying does add a bit of extra time and effort, but it's time well spent. The key to frying a great meatball includes draining them well on paper towel, and ever so slightly undercooking them. You can freeze them in this state if you wish, and thaw them when ready to eat by dropping them in tomato sauce and warming them through slowly, so they are thawed and cooked completely. 


The perfect meatballs will just never be round - If your meatball is perfectly spherical, it runs the risk of being dry and overworked. As well, the moisture needed for a good meatball will simply not allow it to preserve its round shape during cooking - especially if you are frying them. If it does, the recipe is probably too dry. Baked meatballs make for a rounder result but when you fry them, a good recipe will usually end up looking like round spheres with flat tops and bottoms. For me, this is sign of a great meatball, and the natural result of frying gently on each side. Learn to love this quirky shape, and the taste will be a huge payoff. When you cut into your meatball, it should yield easily to your fork, even break into pieces a bit on your pasta. This is a good thing! Embrace it. 


Now that you've heard my very opinionated rant on superior meatballs, let's move on to why the Rao's recipe that I've shared below is so wonderful:

• The secret's in the water. Two cups of water seems a lot, but that is precisely what keeps these meatballs so tender and juicy. 
• The ratio of the three meats is well balanced. You'll get a complex hit of meatiness, fragrance from the herbs and garlic, and a bit of tangy flavor from the cheese.
• They are fried.  
Note: as with all meatballs, they get tastier the longer they sit in your fridge. 

Enjoy! 




Rao's Meatballs


Ingredients

• 1 pound ground lean beef
• ½ pound ground veal
• ½ pound ground pork
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1½ tablespoons chopped Italian parsley
• ½ small garlic clove, peeled and minced
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 2 cups lukewarm water
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 1 cup extra virgin olive oil 

Method

Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add eggs, cheese, parsley, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Using your hands, blend ingredients together.

Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add water,1 cup at a time, until the mixture is quite moist.

Shape the meat mixture into balls (2½ to 3 inch balls).

Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan. When oil is very hot but not smoking, fry meatballs in batches. When bottom half of meatball is very brown and slightly crisp turn and cook top half. Remove from heat and drain on paper towels.

Lower cooked meatballs into simmering Marinara Sauce and cook for 15 minutes. Serve over pasta or on their own.
Makes about 28 meatballs

-Recipe Courtesy of Rao's Cookbook:

Click HERE for Rao's Website

Foolproof Fall Dinner for Six

Photo Courtesy of Martha Stewart

What better way to hold off the fast-approaching winter doldrums than with a festive gathering of friends that celebrates the season's bounty? For me, fall dinner parties are just the best. The ingredients are fresh and wholesome, and even the simplest menu can spotlight them with style.

  ,
Consider using autumn's freshest produce as jumping off point for your menu (pumpkins, apples, squash and pears) and the dinner will practically plan itself.


But as it often happens in Neurotic Kitchen, my dinner plan was fraught with difficulty due to the dietary restrictions and preferences of my very eclectic friends. My guests would include:


three omnivores
a non fish-eater
a non meat-eating pescatarian
and a guest with a dangerous nut allergy


Nothing can be easy, right?

The solution that saved my sanity was a largely meat-free meal - but it had to be one satisfying enough to please three strapping, carnivorous men who would grumble at the mere sight of vegetarian fare. I decided I'd sneak in my meats and fishes during cocktail hour, so that everyone could pick and choose what they liked at that time, after which a four-course dinner would be served. If dinner was tasty enough, nobody would miss the meat. 

But first, let's talk about the decor. Decorating is a big part of what I love about hosting. I view the meal as an experience, and one that can only be enhanced by lovely surroundings. Fall parties are easy to make elegant and festive. Just use natural elements indicative of the season such as small white or orange pumpkins, brightly colored gourds, a few candles, and one or two bouquets of flowers from the corner deli. Choose bunches in fall colors like yellow, burnt orange or red. They need not be pricey to look nice.

My Fall Centerpiece - White Pumpkins, Wheat, and Natural Orange Flowers, NK

Foolproof Fall Menu Outline:

Cocktail Hour with 3 Different Hors D'Oeuvres:
(1 meat, 1 fish, 1 vegetarian)
**Each of my guests would be able to eat at least two varieties

Dinner:

Soup Course

Salad Course

Main Course

Dessert

Since I always like to enjoy my parties, my menu had to be largely make-ahead and ready to serve. With a bit of research, I came up with a pain-free menu plan sure to please:

Hors D'Oeuvres/Cocktail Hour:

 

Crab Salad on Cucumber Chips (for the non-meat-eating fish-eater and the omnivores)

My favorite recipe is courtesy of Food Network Kitchens, and I've tried a bunch. You can go lighter on the mayo and sour cream and it comes just as delicious. You can prepare this the morning of and refrigerate. Just before the party, slice up your cucumber "chips" and spoon a dollop of the tasty crab on top. It is always a hit and works in any season. 

Click Here for the Recipe

Prosciutto-Wrapped Fresh Figs (for the omnivores and non-fish-eating meat-lover)  

Procedure: Simply buy the best thinly-sliced prosciutto you can afford, (imported is worth the splurge but domestic is just fine) and wrap half a slice around fresh figs which have been sliced in half. 

Ina Garten's Sharp Cheddar and Mango Chutney Sandwiches on Mini Brioche Buns 
(fit for everyone- Phew!)

These cute little sandwiches are whimsical, simple, and flavorful. They really spotlight a great cheddar. You can cut them in half if you prefer, as they can be quite filling. I like the addition of a decorative toothpick both to enhance the presentation and keep the sandwich together. This dish stays well at room temperature covered in plastic wrap. Using a good quality cheddar is key to the recipe. 
Click Here for the Recipe

Now for Dinner:

Photo Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup

This soup is easily prepared days in advance and frozen. It pays to spend money on ready-cubed squash if you can, because butternut is notoriously tough to chop. Whenever I attempt to chop it myself, I inevitably end up with a waxy orange film on me, a condition I've dubbed "Squash Hand." When it comes time to puree the squash, an immersion or stick blender makes this recipe that much easier. Optionally serve your soup with store-bought pumpkin or other sweet/savory scones.

Click Here 
or
here for the recipe

Salad of Field Greens, Asian Pear, and Boucheron 

Boucheron is an amazingly rich and tasty goat cheese, but you can use any variety of goat as long as you chill it a bit before so that it crumbles properly. Boucheron has a gluier texture and milder taste, so chill it for sure. It is totally worth the money. It will come to room temperature on the plate and be just divine. 

Like all salads, this can be prepared an hour or two in advance, refrigerated, and dressed right before serving. Procedure: Use a store-bought field greens mix, slice up some Asian pears or whatever variety is firm yet ripe, and then dress with your favorite homemade vinaigrette just before serving. Finish with a sprinkle of goat cheese and optional walnuts. now for The Perfect Dressing - This dressing from the White House Executive Chef has plenty of fall appeal and can be made in advance. Click Here for the Recipe

Ina Garten's Tagliarelle with Truffle Butter  A simple pasta course with major wow-factor. Cook this "a la minute" while guests enjoy their salads - it takes under 7 minutes if you prep and measure ingredients in advance. This recipe is beyond delicious and decadent, but it balances so well with the lighter components of the menu. If you cannot find Tagliarelle, any long egg pasta will do. Egg pastas are incredibly quick-cooking as well. 

Click Here for the Recipe

Tagliarelle with Truffle Butter - Photo courtesy of Food Network

Brownie a la Mode - This easy dessert can never be considered a cop-out because it's so well loved. A day before, whip up brownies from an upscale mix (I prefer Ghirardelli or Barefoot Contessa Brand Outrageous Brownie Mix) and before serving, add a nice quality vanilla ice cream and microwaveable chocolate sauce. I'm partial to Stonewall Kitchen chocolate sauce. It's great to serve this in a large goblet or footed dessert plate. Or a bowl....no one will complain. Who doesn't love a brownie sundae?

If you have extra time, researching a few beer and wine pairings for each course elevates the meal considerably. How do I do this? I usually look up similar recipes on Food and Wine's website. They always recommend a pairing so it's any easy way to simplify a sometimes intimidating process! Example: Our Squash and Apple Soup paired perfectly with a drier hard apple cider. We served Original Sin brand.

So that's our meal! Easy and painless. It was a big hit with our friends. 

It's such a foolproof yet elegant menu that I just had to share it. So eat up and enjoy the waning days of fall because winter is sneaking right up on us!

The Mighty Cheese Plate: My Go-To Holiday Starter

The Neurotic Kitchen becomes all the more frenetic when the season calls for entertaining. Throwing cocktail parties is something I have come to love, and because I come from a long line of cooks great entertainers,  the pressure is all the more acute. My hostess muse has always been my late grandmother, Violet, or Dolly as she was more often called. She just knew how to to cook food that was delicious, well loved, and set a beautifully decorated table as the focal point for what always was a great meal. The problem was, she was too busy cooking "a la minute" to ever enjoy the party herself, and when she did finally sit down, she'd barely eat because she was more interested in keeping the conversation going. While I often borrow from her recipes and principals of decor, I've tried to modernize my entertaining style so I don't miss out on the food or the conversation. 


For this more modern approach, Ina Garten, or The Barefoot Contessa, is my favorite resource. She's a master proponent of making entertaining easy and enjoyable for both host and guest, and because of this, she offers enumerable recipes for cocktail parties, starters, and hors d'oeuvres that can be quickly yet elegantly prepared and served a room temperature - no fuss, no muss. Whenever I am faced with throwing together a party or bringing an elegant plate to someone else's affair (something I often find much more stressful), I start with the tried and true cheese (and sometimes meat) plate.  I've shared some of Ina's composition principals below.


But first, here are some of my own:

• I like my cheese to be themed, French, American/Rustic, Spanish (One of my recent Spanish Plates below)
• Add elements that incorporate height and color - including a voluptuous bunch of grapes or a brightly colored pear or apple are great ways to do this. Don't forget something leafy or herbal. I like the look of Italian Parsley. I have a pet peeve about blank spaces on the plate. I prefer it to be completely filled unless of course you are going for a minimalist look.
• If you choose to slice, try to make each individual cheese should look uniform. Slicing cheese while still cold is a good way to achieve this look. Cubes are great as well. Soft cheeses like brie are best left whole, but I will usually start of the round by slicing off a few pieces.  
• Cheese can be pricey. I always choose at least one very "special" cheese, and if I am on a budget, mix it with more affordable yet still delicious options. As Ina will tell you, having a nice assortment of firm, and softer cheeses is optimal.

Spanish Cheese and Meat Plate: Ibores, Roncal, Queso de Murcia (Drunken Goat), Serrano Ham, Grapes, Apple, Italian Parsley Garnish, Crusty Bread. Photo: Neurotic Kitchen

And here are some of Ina's (Courtesy of Food Network):

"Assembling a stunning fruit and cheese platter requires no cooking. I follow a few key principles to be sure it looks festive and is easy for guests to help themselves. First, I choose an interesting assortment of cheeses—hard sharp cheeses, soft creamy ones, and pungent blue cheeses. I look for an interesting mix of flavors, textures, and colors." - Ina Garten

Ingredients

• For example: French Camembert, Le Chevrot (a sharp goat cheese), Rondin with herbs (a creamy goat cheese), and Montagnolo (a creamy blue cheese).

Procedure

Go to the best cheese shop in town and ask the person at the counter which cheeses are ready to serve. Taste everything; they expect you to. We all know that the Brie may look terrific, but it can be underripe and tough or overripe and ammoniated. You want only the freshest cheeses that are perfectly ripened. Take them home, refrigerate them, and then bring them to room temperature a few hours before serving.

Second, be sure to have a platter or wooden board that is flat and large enough to hold the cheeses without crowding them. Arrange the cheeses with the cut sides facing out, and with several small cheese knives, maybe one for each type of cheese.

Third, to finish the platter, add sliced breads or crackers, and green leaves. I use either lemon or galax leaves, which you can get from your florist. If you have a garden, any large flat leaf like hydrangea looks beautiful, but be sure they aren't poisonous and are pesticide-free!

Overall, the simpler the design, the better the platter looks. Group each kind of cheese together and add one large bunch of green or red grapes in the center to create a visual focal point. Fill in the spaces with lots of crackers or small slices of bread.

The Imagist Plate - Butter Lettuce Salad with Tarragon and Citrus-Honey Vinaigrette

This is Just to Say


I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold


-William Carlos Williams

Not surprisingly, it hasn’t taken long to relate my love of food with one of my aforementioned “other interests,” in this case, poetry. So I am not just a neurotic, but a nerdy neurotic - a total English Lit junky. My idea of a good time in college was to drink too much at a party and return home and read some T.S. Eliot verse online and cry. What can I say? He appeals to my sometimes stark view of life and my constant struggle between optimism and pessimism. Nerd-dom confirmed.

Monday was a great day. I received an unexpected complimentary cookbook from Food and Wine  in the mail. This compilation is, as my best friend would say, “amazeballs” because it combines a handful of the top recipes from each of the 25 cookbooks voted best this year. I turned straight to the Eric Ripert section. He’s the chef and owner of Le Bernardin - one of my personal favorites. He’s talented, French, and also, real cute.

I decided to try the salad recipe detailed below and ran out to the store for its simple ingredients. Come Tuesday, while assembling this beautiful salad as a complement to my take on Rao’s Lemon Sole, my nerd days at college came rushing back. I found myself muttering William Carlos Williams' verse, but quietly, so the husband would not be alarmed. The Imagist movement in poetry has always been a favorite of mine. I love its stripped down language and use of simple, universal images to convey the essence of a concrete thing or conjure a collective emotion. It struck me that I was making a dish that captured the essence of lettuce - a composition that highlights, in a quiet way, with just a few elements, what’s wonderful and even elegant about the most unassuming veggie – a humble head of lettuce. Try it and check out its wow factor for yourself:

Butter Lettuce Salad with Tarragon and Citrus-Honey Vinaigrette

-from Eric Ripert’s Cookbook, Avec Eric
Serves 4 - 6

Total Time – 10 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 lime, zested and juiced
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 heads butter lettuce (also known as Boston lettuce or Bibb lettuce)
• 1/2 cup cut fresh tarragon leaves

Method: Whisk the lemon zest and juice, lime zest and juice, honey, and mustard in a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Slowly drizzle in the canola oil while whisking constantly until completely emulsified.

Trim off the core from each head of lettuce and separate the leaves, discarding the tough outer leaves. Rinse the lettuce leaves in a bowl of cold water and spin dry. Place the lettuce leaves in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add the tarragon leaves and gently toss the lettuce with enough vinaigrette to coat lightly.

Stack the lettuce leaves on 4 plates, starting each stack with the large outer leaves on the bottom and ending with the small inner leaves on top. Serve immediately.