When I was growing up, meatballs, both Italian and Swedish, were among my favorite foods.
My mom made really good, very different versions of each kind, much to the consternation of my Swedish grandfather, who hated garlic, and was so proud of his Norse heritage that every Columbus Day he would remind anyone who would listen that Leif Ericson was here first.
Of course, spaghetti and meatballs are the staple of every Italian red sauce joint, not to mention a kids menu go-to. And even with the finding of traces of horse meat blunting demand, Ikea cafeterias dished up some 150 million Swedish meatballs bathed in brown gravy in 2013.
Beyond those better-known Americanized basics, ground meat fashioned into orbs can be found in many more interesting forms all over the world, whether named albondigas, lion’s head, kefta, kofta or polpettine.
Over the past few years, meatballs have become another one of those “hot” dining trends, popping up at bars and restaurants as snacks, starters and sometimes the whole concept.
In early 2010, childhood buddies Daniel Holzman and Michael Chernow opened the Meatball Shop on New York’s Lower East Side.
From that small counter-service operation and a menu of vegetarian, salmon, chicken, beef and pork meatballs and mix-and-match sauces, the partners quickly built a small empire with four more locations. And in late 2011, Holzman and Chernow released “The Meatball Shop Cookbook” (Ballantine Books, $19.95).
In Atlanta, a similar concept, dubbed Bar Meatball, is set to open in February in the former Pozole restaurant space in Virginia-Highland.
On the home cooking front, meatball madness has been going on at the Atlanta residence of husband and wife Eddie Holley and Haley Billue for the past five years, as the couple hosts an increasingly competitive annual meatball cook-off on the occasion of Billue’s birthday.
“We love to entertain and we love to eat, so we thought why not wrap something around the party that entailed food and was participatory,” Holley said. “One of the easiest things to do in a small format is a meatball. And who doesn’t love a meatball?”
In 2012, a veggie meatball took the top prize. Last year, local food blogger Kit Chen won with a Hong Kong-style lion’s head meatball served in a bowl of broth with noodles.
“The winners are judged by the people at the party,” Holley said. “Every year, there’s something new and interesting. We’ve even had dessert meatballs.”
Recipes
These meatball recipes feature a variety of flavors and presentations, including Asian with broth and noodles, Moroccan with feta and mint, and farro and veggie with pesto.
Asian Meatballs in Miso Broth With Soba Noodles
Hands on: 30 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Serves: 4
This Hong Kong-style dish combines lion’s head-style meatballs with the trifecta of Asian flavors — garlic, lemongrass and ginger. Poaching the meatballs first makes for a clearer broth.
1 pound ground pork
1/2 pound raw shrimp, minced
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk lemongrass, minced
1 inch cube of ginger, peeled and minced
4 scallions, chopped
4 canned water chestnuts, minced
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon white pepper
2 tablespoons salt
For serving:
1 quart instant miso broth, simmered according to package directions, or homemade miso
1 head Napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 (12-ounce) package soba noodles, cooked according to package directions
Cilantro, scallions, sliced hot peppers for garnish
In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, minced shrimp, egg whites, cornstarch, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, scallions, water chestnuts, soy sauce, sesame oil and white pepper.
Roll into golf-ball-size orbs.
Bring a large pot with 2 quarts of water to a simmer with 2 tablespoons salt. Poach the meatballs, 6 at a time, for 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside or refrigerate until ready to serve.
To serve:
In a large pot, heat the miso broth and add the meatballs to warm through. Add the sliced Napa cabbage and cook for 1 minute.
Divide the cooked noodles between 4 bowls. Top with broth and meatballs and garnish as desired with cilantro, sliced hot peppers and scallions.
Per serving: 751 calories (percent of calories from fat, 35), 57 grams protein, 75 grams carbohydrates, 3 grams fiber, 32 grams fat (10 grams saturated), 168 milligrams cholesterol, 1,672 milligrams sodium.
Moroccan Lamb Meatballs
Hands on: 10 minutes
Total time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Though the kefta-style balls are baked in this recipe, they could be grilled over charcoal and wrapped in pita bread. The mix is slightly spicy and filled with the flavors of cumin and zatar, the Moroccan seasoning made with toasted sesame seeds.
1 pound ground lamb
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 egg
2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon turmeric
2 tablespoons zatar
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon pepper
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, torn
Preheat oven to 350.
In a large bowl, combine the lamb, garlic, egg. cumin, turmeric, zatar, salt and pepper.
Form into golf-ball-size balls and place on a lined baking sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes for medium-rare.
To serve:
Divide meatballs between 4 bowls and garnish with feta and mint.
Farro Meatless Meatballs With Winter Pesto
Hands on: 20 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes
Serves: 4
Farro is an ancient grain that has been experiencing a new surge of popularity. This easy farro-based dish has been popping up on menus lately as a protein-rich vegetarian alternative to meatballs. Mushrooms add lots of umami flavor. The winter pesto adds a nutty note, but any favorite pasta sauce would work well, too.
1 cup farro, cooked according to package directions
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup diced zucchini
1 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs
1/2 cup diced cremini mushrooms
2 medium zucchini, sliced into long strips
Winter Pesto
Makes 2 cups (leftover sauce can be kept, refrigerated up to 2 weeks)
1 cup walnuts
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil
Preheat oven to 350.
For the farro balls:
In a large bowl, combine cooked farro, garlic, Parmesan, eggs, zucchini, breadcrumbs and mushrooms.
Form into golf-ball-size balls and place on a baking sheet.
Bake for 15 minutes.
To make the sauce:
In a blender or food processor, pulse the walnuts, garlic, salt, Parmesan and olive oil to make a smooth mixture.
To serve:
In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, cook the zucchini strips with 1/4 cup water until al dente, about 1 minute. Drain and divide between 4 bowls. Divide the meatballs and serve with pesto.
Per serving, without pesto: 394 calories (percent of calories from fat, 14), 19 grams protein, 68 grams carbohydrates, 9 grams fiber, 6 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 110 milligrams cholesterol, 927 milligrams sodium.
Winter Pesto, per 2-tablespoon serving: 84 calories (percent of calories from fat, 82), 3 grams protein, 1 gram carbohydrates, trace fiber, 9 grams fat (1 gram saturated), 2 milligrams cholesterol, 399 milligrams sodium.
About the Author
