NYE 2011: Party of Two

With dinner plans at Everest on January 1^st, Tim and I have decided to spend New Years Eve at home.  I debated what to make for a proper New Years Eve dinner….Beef Wellington?  Lobster Thermidor?  

Then it dawned on me….MEATBALLS! 

I read somewhere that meatballs are supposed to be the new food trend for 2011 and I am a trendy girl.  So why not? :)  But to make it special enough for NYE, I decided to do a meatball flight:  Italian, Swedish, Greek, Moroccan and Vietnamese meatballs.

Oh yeah, and chocolate souffles for dessert!

Italian Meatballs (Stuffed with Mozzarella Cheese)

For the sauce:

• 1 large onion, cut into large chunks
• 2 large carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 3 ribs celery, cut into 1-inch dice
• 4 garlic cloves 
• Extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 2 28oz cans of crushed tomatoes
• 5 cups hearty red wine
• Water
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 bunch thyme, tied in a bundle
• 1/2 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper (depending on how spicy you like it)

In a food processor, puree onion, carrots, celery, and garlic into a coarse paste. Heat a large pan over medium heat and coat with olive oil. Add the pureed veggies and season generously with salt. 

Bring the pan to a medium-high heat and cook until all the water has evaporated and they become nice and brown, stirring frequently, about 15 to 20 minutes. 

Add the Italian sausage and cook until brown....plus another 15 to 20 minutes.

Add the crushed tomatoes and red wine. Cook to reduce the wine for about 30 minutes.  

Add  the bay leaves, bundle of thyme and crushed red pepper.  Stir.  Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 3-4 hours.  If the sauce begins to look thicker than you like it, add water (or more wine!).  Don't be afraid to add too much liquid during the cooking process, you can always cook it out. 

For the meatballs:

• 1/2 lb ground veal
• 1/2 lb ground pork
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 cup fresh white bread crumbs 
• 1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 egg
• Fresh Mozzarella
• Vegetable oil
• Olive oil

Place all of the above ingredients in a large bowl and combine by hand.  Using your hands, take enough meat for a 2" round meatball.  Form a flattened meat patty in the curve of your hand and insert a 1" cube (or ball) of mozzarella cheese.  Form meatball around cheese, ensuring the meat is completely encased in cheese and that there are no cracks surface of the meatball.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Pour equal amounts of vegetable and olive oil to a depth of 1/4".  Carefully place meatballs in the oil.  Turn frequently to brown all the sides.  Place cooked meatballs in a baking dish and keep warm in a 200deg oven.


Meatball sliders as a variation!
That's the mozzarella oozing out.....

Swedish Meatballs (Alton Brown's recipe)

Ingredients

• • 2 slices fresh white bread
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons clarified butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
  • A pinch plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 pound ground chuck
  • 3/4 pound ground pork
  • 2 large egg yolks
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 cups beef broth
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.

Tear the bread into pieces and place in a small mixing bowl along with the milk. Set aside.

In a 12-inch straight sided saute pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and sweat until the onions are soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the bread and milk mixture, ground chuck, pork, egg yolks, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, black pepper, allspice, nutmeg, and onions. Beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.

Using a scale, weigh meatballs into 1-ounce portions and place on a sheet pan. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into rounds.

Heat the remaining butter in the saute pan over medium-low heat, or in an electric skillet set to 250 degrees F. Add the meatballs and saute until golden brown on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove the meatballs to an ovenproof dish using a slotted spoon and place in the warmed oven.

Once all of the meatballs are cooked, decrease the heat to low and add the flour to the pan or skillet.  Whisk until lightly browned, approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add the beef stock and whisk until sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream and continue to cook until the gravy reaches the desired consistency. Remove the meatballs from the oven, cover with the gravy and serve.

Greek Meatballs in White Wine Sauce

• 3/4 pound ground lamb 
• 3/4 pound ground veal
• 1 small onion, minced 
• Flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon (1 turn of the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup dry white wine 
• 1/2 lemon

Combine meats, onion, parsley, salt and pepper.  Roll into 1" balls.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add butter and olive oil.  Carefully place meatballs in pan.  Turn frequently to brown all the sides and cook through.  Add the wine and cook to reduce by half (3-4 minutes).  Remove from heat and squeeze the juice of the half lemon over the meatballs.

Moroccan Meatballs
For the sauce: 

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 small onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 lemon, zested
• 1/2 cup pitted and chopped briny olives
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup chicken stock or broth
• 1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the olive oil over in a large sauce pan over medium heat.  Saute the onion and garlic until soft (about 3 minutes). Add the lemon zest and olives and cook for 1 more minute. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and let it reduce for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, tomatoes, sugar, red pepper flakes, and cinnamon.  Simmer for about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

For the Meatballs:

• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon minced ginger
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Pinch ground cinnamon
• 3/4 lb ground beef
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• Salt and  pepper
• Vegetable oil & butter, for cooking
• Chopped parsley, for garnishing

Combine the egg and tomato paste in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add the cilantro, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Stir in the ground beef and bread crumbs.  Roll into 1" balls.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add vegetable oil and butter.  Carefully place meatballs in pan.  Turn frequently to brown all the sides and cook through.  

Vietnamese Meatballs with Siracha Mayo
Meatballs:

• 1 lb ground pork
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon sriracha
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• Sesame Oil for cooking

Combine all ingredients in a bowl.  Roll into 1" balls.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add sesame oil.  Carefully place meatballs in pan. Turn frequently to brown all the sides and cook through.  

Siracha Mayo:

• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon sriracha hot sauce

Combine above ingredients and use as a dip for the meatballs.

Chocolate Souffle

• 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

• 6 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup sugar

• 4 large egg yolks
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400°F. 

Butter eight 6oz soufflé dishes. Melt chocolate and butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until smooth. Transfer to large bowl and let cool.

Using electric mixer, beat egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add sugar; beat until stiff.

Whisk yolks, flour and vanilla into melted chocolate mixture. Fold in 1/3 of egg whites to lighten. Fold in remaining whites. Divide soufflé mixture evenly among soufflé dishes. Set dishes onto a baking sheet. Bake soufflés until edges are set but tester inserted into center comes out with wet batter attached, about 15 minutes. 

Serve immediately with ice cream.

You can actually prepare these up to one day ahead of time.  If you do refrigerate overnight, increase cooking time to 20 minutes.

Just for fun, I made a few mini-souffles in espresso cups.  

(Baking time: 10 minutes)