A RECIPE REQUEST

DPileggi said:

I have been looking for a good seasoned Italian-style meatball for years.
[snip]
The meatballs were very similar in taste to a sweet Sicilian sausage;
[snip]
Most of restaurant chefs, I have found seem to think a Italian meatball
is comprised of only meat, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper; which is
bland at best.
[snip]
These people can't seem to understand that not everyone in the world
interprets "spicy" to mean "hot". [snip]

I like to use a mixture of meats, usually 1/2 lb. each of ground round
and ground veal. To that I add breadcrumbs (up to a cup) and 1 egg.
To make them Italian, add up to 1/2 cup of Romano cheese. Seasonings
are salt, black pepper, and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce. To
give them a little more interest I add up to 1/2 tsp each of dried
thyme and dried (Greek) oregano. Parsley is a good optional addition.
If the meatballs will simmer for a while in a sauce I'll add a little
bit of minced onion and a little minced garlic. I omit those if the
meatballs will cook only briefly because I don't like bits of uncooked
onion and garlic in the meatballs.

To make them spicy, of course, you simmer chili sauce and grape jelly
together, then heat the cooked meatballs in that. :-) -aem

Dear aem,

Thank you. I have save your instruction.

Take care.

Sincerely,

David

"aem" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

DPileggi said:

I have been looking for a good seasoned Italian-style meatball for
years.
[snip]
The meatballs were very similar in taste to a sweet Sicilian sausage;
[snip]
Most of restaurant chefs, I have found seem to think a Italian meatball
is comprised of only meat, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper; which is
bland at best.
[snip]
These people can't seem to understand that not everyone in the world
interprets "spicy" to mean "hot". [snip]

I like to use a mixture of meats, usually 1/2 lb. each of ground round
and ground veal. To that I add breadcrumbs (up to a cup) and 1 egg.
To make them Italian, add up to 1/2 cup of Romano cheese. Seasonings
are salt, black pepper, and a few drops of Worcestershire sauce. To
give them a little more interest I add up to 1/2 tsp each of dried
thyme and dried (Greek) oregano. Parsley is a good optional addition.
If the meatballs will simmer for a while in a sauce I'll add a little
bit of minced onion and a little minced garlic. I omit those if the
meatballs will cook only briefly because I don't like bits of uncooked
onion and garlic in the meatballs.

To make them spicy, of course, you simmer chili sauce and grape jelly
together, then heat the cooked meatballs in that. :-) -aem

"aem" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

To make them spicy, of course, you simmer chili sauce and grape jelly
together, then heat the cooked meatballs in that. :-)

(laugh!) I have a slap right here in just your size, come and get it!

nancy

DPileggi said:

Hi,

I have been looking for a good seasoned Italian-style meatball for years.

(I realize that "good" and "seasoned" are both subjective terms.)

I have only ever found one that I considered to be good; heck great. (It

was probably better in my memory, than in the real world.)

Whole leaf sage, thyme, paprika are all good ingredients for a ground
beef 'meat balls also like a bit of celery seed and/or anise seed, i
prefer to use dried (toasted) bread crumbs rather than fresh bread as it
makes for a firmer meat ball.

I have recently started using oat bran instead of bread for both better
flavour and firmer texture.

I get dried (not powdered) onion from a local asian market that i thin
go very well in the meat balls. Of course a bit of garlic goes without
saying.
---
JL

Quoted message said:

About 15 or maybe 20 years ago, there opened a small family owned

delicatessen here in Houston, Texas. The deli was located in a strip

center on West Airport on the Westside of the South West freeway.

Interestingly enough the owner was from Louisiana; a Cajun.

The store sold several uncooked items in the fresh meats counter.

One of those items was an uncooked meatballs made using a recipe the

owner had come up with..

The fellow said that if he ever closed up shop, he would be glad share

to the recipe with me. Well as fate would have it the store closed its

doors before I knew it and I never was made privy to the recipe.

The meatballs were very similar in taste to a sweet Sicilian sausage;

but not quite and to this day, I have yet to find another meatballs

like his.

I always try several items at any new Italian restaurant I try; meatballs

are one, sausage are another.

Most of restaurant chefs, I have found seem to think a Italian meatball

is comprised of only meat, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper; which is

bland at best.

If they add spice, the spices they add must be from a jar of McCormick's

Italian seasonings.

That or they throw in a handful of red pepper flakes, like are found in
the

round glass jars at pizza joint. The ones sitting between to the salt and

pepper shakers and in front of the chromed napkin holders on every table.

These people can't seem to understand that not everyone in the world

interprets "spicy" to mean "hot".

Anyway, thanks in advance.

David

P. S. I make no claims as to being a good writer or for winning any awards

for my spelling. DP

Hi,

Thank you for your thoughts; I hadn't thought of whole leaf sage or
paprika myself. I agree celery seed (I also like celery powder) and anise
seed are good. I was thinking of fennel.

Sherri has been using "Panko" (Japanese bread crumbs) instead of regular
bread crumbs in her meat loaf lately.

I plan to check at a local asian gorcery store tomorrow for dried onions.
Is it different from dehydrated onion chips or dehydrated chopped onion?

Thanks.

Sincerely,

David

"Joseph Littleshoes" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

DPileggi said:

Hi,

I have been looking for a good seasoned Italian-style meatball for
years.

(I realize that "good" and "seasoned" are both subjective terms.)

I have only ever found one that I considered to be good; heck great.
(It

was probably better in my memory, than in the real world.)

Whole leaf sage, thyme, paprika are all good ingredients for a ground beef
'meat balls also like a bit of celery seed and/or anise seed, i prefer to
use dried (toasted) bread crumbs rather than fresh bread as it makes for a
firmer meat ball.

I have recently started using oat bran instead of bread for both better
flavour and firmer texture.

I get dried (not powdered) onion from a local asian market that i thin go
very well in the meat balls. Of course a bit of garlic goes without
saying.
---
JL

Quoted message said:

About 15 or maybe 20 years ago, there opened a small family owned

delicatessen here in Houston, Texas. The deli was located in a strip

center on West Airport on the Westside of the South West freeway.

Interestingly enough the owner was from Louisiana; a Cajun.

The store sold several uncooked items in the fresh meats counter.

One of those items was an uncooked meatballs made using a recipe the

owner had come up with..

The fellow said that if he ever closed up shop, he would be glad share

to the recipe with me. Well as fate would have it the store closed its

doors before I knew it and I never was made privy to the recipe.

The meatballs were very similar in taste to a sweet Sicilian sausage;

but not quite and to this day, I have yet to find another meatballs

like his.

I always try several items at any new Italian restaurant I try;
meatballs

are one, sausage are another.

Most of restaurant chefs, I have found seem to think a Italian meatball

is comprised of only meat, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper; which is

bland at best.

If they add spice, the spices they add must be from a jar of
McCormick's

Italian seasonings.

That or they throw in a handful of red pepper flakes, like are found in
the

round glass jars at pizza joint. The ones sitting between to the salt
and

pepper shakers and in front of the chromed napkin holders on every table.

These people can't seem to understand that not everyone in the world

interprets "spicy" to mean "hot".

Anyway, thanks in advance.

David

P. S. I make no claims as to being a good writer or for winning any
awards

for my spelling. DP

DPileggi said:

Hi,

Thank you for your thoughts; I hadn't thought of whole leaf sage or
paprika myself.

Paprika is chancy, it is important to get a very fresh paprika which
often means going to an herb shop and making sure it has not set on a
shelf for 6 months or more.

There is a Mexican product called "smoked paprika" that is....interesting.

I agree celery seed (I also like celery powder) and anise

Quoted message said:

seed are good. I was thinking of fennel.

Im glad you mentioned this, i meant fennel not anise, though there is a
similarity of flavour in them i prefer the fennel or fennel seeds.
Sometimes i use just a bit of fennel seed and salt & cayenne pepper in
the ground beef for burgers.

I cant praise the whole leaf sage highly enough, i used to get a
crumbled sage from the same source and the whole leaf they provide has
much more flavour.

From your e mail address "[email hidden]" i wonder if you are in the
SF bay area? if so do let me know and i can give you names and
addressees for several places in Oakland that, if you do not already
know about, will be a pleasant surprise.

Quoted message said:

Sherri has been using "Panko" (Japanese bread crumbs) instead of regular
bread crumbs in her meat loaf lately.

I do like panko and am a bit surprised i have not tried to use it as a
filler.

I have recently been on a 'meat ball' kick, making a couple of dozen
meat or fish balls and then freezing them for the elderly relative who
lives with me, she adores my meat loaf, but the small individual meat
balls makes portion control so much easier for her.

I like to bread whole fish filets or prawns with panko and quickly saute
or broil. I am going to go buy some panko and see how i like it as a
filler. I recently posted a bread crumb stuffing for green peppers
that uses anchovy as a flavour element, its very nice and unusual enough
to elicit comment. But i am one of those people that will add a
tablespoon or two of mashed fish to a pot of mashed potatoes, and i have
been know to stuff a baked potato with a fish fillet and/or shrimp and a
sauce, cheese & etc.

When i use ground white meat chicken, i also mash up shrimp to add along
with garlic, S & P, finely minced onion and sautee in butter and white wine.

Quoted message said:

I plan to check at a local asian gorcery store tomorrow for dried onions.
Is it different from dehydrated onion chips or dehydrated chopped onion?

I purchase an Vietnamese product labelled "echalotes frits" Hanh Phi in
Vietnamese. It is just small dice of red onions and vegetable oil. They
are 'dried' if not dry, slightly moist, can be eaten straight out of the
jar and that rather pleasantly, i often use them in various meat balls,
or if im making a quick saute, on pizza and in salads.

The product i purchase is sold in containers of 8 ounces in weight and
about 2 cups by volume for less than 2 dollars.
---
JL

Quoted message said:

Thanks.
Sincerely,David

DPileggi said:

Hi,

I have been looking for a good seasoned Italian-style meatball for years.

Marcella Hazan's Meatballs..

None better!

1 lb ground chuck
2 slices homestyle white bread, crusts removed
1/2 c milk
1/4 c minced onion
1/2 tsp cinnamon (very important ingredient)
1/2 tsp freshly grated black pepper
1/2 tsp salt (approximately)
3 TB grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
fine dry breadcrumbs (optional)

1. Tear the bread into pieces. Bring the milk to a boil and pour over the bread,
stirring so the bread absorbs the milk. Let cool then add to a large bowl
with all other ingredients except the bread crumbs. Mix gently but
thoroughly using your fingers.

2. A prime cause of rubbery meatballs is too much handling, so take it easy!
The goal is not a completely uniform paste but a mixture where some pieces
of bread are still distinct. Pinch off a tablespoon of the mixture and
cook in in a small frypan. Taste and add more salt to the mixture if
needed.

3. Form into balls 1 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter, again being as gentle as possible.
At this point in the recipe, opinions diverge as regards cooking the
meatballs.

4. There are three schools of thought:

1. Drop the meatballs into your simmering tomato sauce. Cover and cook for at least an hour.
Do not stir until they have cooked for at least 20 minutes - this lets the
eggs set and makes the meatballs more resistant to breaking up. You may
need to skim accumulated fat off the sauce before serving. This cooking
method lets the flavors of the sauce and meatballs meld.
2. Roll the meatballs in the breadcrumbs and sauté slowly in olive oil,
turning regularly, until browned and cooked through, about half an hour.
Serve separately from the sauce. This method keeps the meatball and sauce
flavors separate.
3. Follow method 2 but sauté the meatball just until
browned, then add to the sauce. The middle road approach.

Joseph Littleshoes said:

There is a Mexican product called "smoked paprika" that is....interesting.

Actually smoked paprika is Spanish.

Christine

"Christine Dabney" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Joseph Littleshoes said:

There is a Mexican product called "smoked paprika" that is....interesting.

Actually smoked paprika is Spanish.

Christine

Be prepared for a strong taste. Paprika is usually mild to me -- but not
Penzey's 'smoked' paprika. I've used it once or twice.
It might sit there for a while.
Dee Dee

Dee Randall said:

"Christine Dabney" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Joseph Littleshoes said:

There is a Mexican product called "smoked paprika" that is....interesting.

Actually smoked paprika is Spanish.

Christine

Be prepared for a strong taste. Paprika is usually mild to me -- but not
Penzey's 'smoked' paprika. I've used it once or twice.
It might sit there for a while.
Dee Dee

I had a version of smoked paprika from Mexico that was, as i wrote,
interesting, but i was never able to successfully marry its flavour with
much else.

A pinch in scrambled eggs or with a spicy mexican sausage was nice but i
also tried to use it in a cheddar cheese sauce i routinely use hungarian
paprika in and it was just not as good, i think it is interesting and i
intend to combine it with a bit of mace one of these days but will have
to buy another tin.
---
JL

Joseph Littleshoes said:

I had a version of smoked paprika from Mexico that was, as i wrote,
interesting, but i was never able to successfully marry its flavour with
much else.

A pinch in scrambled eggs or with a spicy mexican sausage was nice but i
also tried to use it in a cheddar cheese sauce i routinely use hungarian
paprika in and it was just not as good, i think it is interesting and i
intend to combine it with a bit of mace one of these days but will have
to buy another tin.
---

I use smoked paprika in a variety of things. One is part of the
flour mixture I use to dredge chicken in, for fried chicken.. Adds a
lovely smokey flavor to it.

Another is an idea from eGullet..whereby one dredges chicken in more
than an obscene amount of paprika....so that it really forms a coating
for the chicken. Smoked paprika in this is absolutely astounding.
After dredgeing chicken in it, I layer it with 1 onion per 2 pieces
skinned chicken (thighs are great) in a crockpot, and cook for several
hours on low/high. I add salt, and garlic powder to that mixture as
well....

I think when you want a smokey flavor that is also paprika, it does
well....

Christine

"Christine Dabney" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Joseph Littleshoes said:

I had a version of smoked paprika from Mexico that was, as i wrote,
interesting, but i was never able to successfully marry its flavour with
much else.

A pinch in scrambled eggs or with a spicy mexican sausage was nice but i
also tried to use it in a cheddar cheese sauce i routinely use hungarian
paprika in and it was just not as good, i think it is interesting and i
intend to combine it with a bit of mace one of these days but will have
to buy another tin.
---

I use smoked paprika in a variety of things. One is part of the
flour mixture I use to dredge chicken in, for fried chicken.. Adds a
lovely smokey flavor to it.

Another is an idea from eGullet..whereby one dredges chicken in more
than an obscene amount of paprika....so that it really forms a coating
for the chicken. Smoked paprika in this is absolutely astounding.
After dredgeing chicken in it, I layer it with 1 onion per 2 pieces
skinned chicken (thighs are great) in a crockpot, and cook for several
hours on low/high. I add salt, and garlic powder to that mixture as
well....

I think when you want a smokey flavor that is also paprika, it does
well....

Christine

Thanks,Christine.
Regarding your second paragraph, would this work with chicken breasts (with
bone in and skin on). I would probably lay the breasts on top of the onion
slices and put some on the top; but would you put butter or oil or water on
the bottom.
Dee Dee

Dee Randall said:

Regarding your second paragraph, would this work with chicken breasts (with
bone in and skin on). I would probably lay the breasts on top of the onion
slices and put some on the top; but would you put butter or oil or water on
the bottom.

Dee, you need no liquid for this method. The onions produce enough
liquid as they cook. And the skin really doesn't stay very
appetizing for this method.....hence the skinless chicken. It needs
no oil either.

For this method, dark meat seems to work better, as it stands up
better to the long slow cooking. You could certainly try it with
chicken breasts if you want, but they might end up really dry in the
end, as chicken breasts just don't adapt as well to long slow
braising, which is what this is.

Christine

"Christine Dabney" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Dee Randall said:

Regarding your second paragraph, would this work with chicken breasts
(with
bone in and skin on). I would probably lay the breasts on top of the onion
slices and put some on the top; but would you put butter or oil or water
on
the bottom.

Dee, you need no liquid for this method. The onions produce enough
liquid as they cook. And the skin really doesn't stay very
appetizing for this method.....hence the skinless chicken. It needs
no oil either.

For this method, dark meat seems to work better, as it stands up
better to the long slow cooking. You could certainly try it with
chicken breasts if you want, but they might end up really dry in the
end, as chicken breasts just don't adapt as well to long slow
braising, which is what this is.

Christine

Thanks for your advice, Christine.
Yikes, I just can't eat any dark meat -- just tastes too foul :-)))
Dee Dee

Christine Dabney said:

Dee Randall said:

Regarding your second paragraph, would this work with chicken breasts (with
bone in and skin on). I would probably lay the breasts on top of the onion
slices and put some on the top; but would you put butter or oil or water on
the bottom.

Dee, you need no liquid for this method. The onions produce enough
liquid as they cook. And the skin really doesn't stay very
appetizing for this method.....hence the skinless chicken. It needs
no oil either.

For this method, dark meat seems to work better, as it stands up
better to the long slow cooking. You could certainly try it with
chicken breasts if you want, but they might end up really dry in the
end, as chicken breasts just don't adapt as well to long slow
braising, which is what this is.

Christine

That sounds rather good, I might give it a try in a slow oven as I don't
have a crockpot. I use smoked paprika in my chicken and chorizo hotpot
thingy or anything where you're looking for a Spanish type of flavour.

Christine.

On Thu, 25 May 2006 15:31:43 +1000, Old Mother Ashby

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

That sounds rather good, I might give it a try in a slow oven as I don't
have a crockpot. I use smoked paprika in my chicken and chorizo hotpot
thingy or anything where you're looking for a Spanish type of flavour.

Christine.

Here is the recipe for it, in case anyone wants a formalized recipe.
And times and temperatures for cooking it in other than a crockpot.

http://recipes.egullet.org/recipes/r1194.html

And the discussion from which I first heard the idea:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=38677&hl=paprika

Christine

Dee Randall said:

Thanks for your advice, Christine.
Yikes, I just can't eat any dark meat -- just tastes too foul :-)))
Dee Dee

This doesn't taste foul at all, at least not to me. But I am a dark
meat lover from way, way, way back.

Christine

Thank you. Another for my "to try box" David
"jay" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

DPileggi said:

Hi,

I have been looking for a good seasoned Italian-style meatball for
years.

Marcella Hazan's Meatballs..

None better!

1 lb ground chuck
2 slices homestyle white bread, crusts removed
1/2 c milk
1/4 c minced onion
1/2 tsp cinnamon (very important ingredient)
1/2 tsp freshly grated black pepper
1/2 tsp salt (approximately)
3 TB grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
fine dry breadcrumbs (optional)

1. Tear the bread into pieces. Bring the milk to a boil and pour over the
bread,
stirring so the bread absorbs the milk. Let cool then add to a large bowl
with all other ingredients except the bread crumbs. Mix gently but
thoroughly using your fingers.

2. A prime cause of rubbery meatballs is too much handling, so take it
easy!
The goal is not a completely uniform paste but a mixture where some pieces
of bread are still distinct. Pinch off a tablespoon of the mixture and
cook in in a small frypan. Taste and add more salt to the mixture if
needed.

3. Form into balls 1 to 1-1/2 inches in diameter, again being as gentle as
possible.
At this point in the recipe, opinions diverge as regards cooking the
meatballs.

4. There are three schools of thought:

1. Drop the meatballs into your simmering tomato sauce. Cover and cook for
at least an hour.
Do not stir until they have cooked for at least 20 minutes - this lets the
eggs set and makes the meatballs more resistant to breaking up. You may
need to skim accumulated fat off the sauce before serving. This cooking
method lets the flavors of the sauce and meatballs meld.
2. Roll the meatballs in the breadcrumbs and sauté slowly in olive oil,
turning regularly, until browned and cooked through, about half an hour.
Serve separately from the sauce. This method keeps the meatball and sauce
flavors separate.
3. Follow method 2 but sauté the meatball just until
browned, then add to the sauce. The middle road approach.

Christine Dabney said:

On Thu, 25 May 2006 15:31:43 +1000, Old Mother Ashby

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

That sounds rather good, I might give it a try in a slow oven as I don't
have a crockpot. I use smoked paprika in my chicken and chorizo hotpot
thingy or anything where you're looking for a Spanish type of flavour.

Christine.

Here is the recipe for it, in case anyone wants a formalized recipe.
And times and temperatures for cooking it in other than a crockpot.

http://recipes.egullet.org/recipes/r1194.html

And the discussion from which I first heard the idea:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=38677&hl=paprika

Christine

Thanks for that.You're right, it uses an extraordinary quantity of
paprika! If I halved the recipe to cook 4 thighs it would just about use
a whole packet - I buy it in fairly small quantities. Also, yellow
onions are not easily obtained, I'd have to go to Prahran Market. Do you
reckon it would work with ordinary white onions?

I have printed the recipe and I'll think about giving it a try. The
butcher was right out of chicken thighs today. Apparently with the cold
weather everyone's making casseroles! I bought ox cheek instead.

I have heard of eGullet, but never investigated them. Is it worth
joining, do you think? I waste enough time on rfc as it is :-)

Christine