meatballs…everyones fav (well, mine)

how do you make a meatball more interesting?

i’m all for the meatball in sauce. really, i am. but sometimes you just want something different. something other them pasta. something other then a pot of sauce simmering all day (maybe i’m wrong about that?).

sometimes you want something sweet, something savory, something different.

i came across this recipe the other day. i collect magazines. i wont lie to you, my house can be mistaken for a magazine stand. i specialize in collecting cooking and food magazines. on the occasion however i am good for a good people (i always need to know what jennifer aniston is up to don’t you?).

my magazine stand consists of food and wine magazines that go back to 2007. yes, i said 2007 (and possibly earlier). the worst, my uncles save them for me. every time to go to visit i get a new pile (should i mention i subscribe too?). what do you do with your magazines? i fold over the pages i eventually plan on making and then toss them into a pile. they eventually get forgotten and i never make the recipe.

this was one recipe i couldn’t pass up. we love a good meatball here. we love something different, we love experimenting. this is one of those recipes that orianally calls for something different. one of those recipes that swapping out ingredients really works. whether you use chicken or turkey (or even that fake meat) it will work. the taste, amazing. simple to make, a meal to talk about.

meatball yakitori adapted from food & wine magazine, issue 3.12

one little note: i usually add veggies to my meatballs (hence the carrots). even though my kids are veggie eaters (they love anything from asparagus & broccoli to lettuce & peppers) i still like to add them in. 1, they think i am cool for not serving veggies with dinner and 2, they are not big carrot fans.

1. in a saucepan bring to a simmer the sake, soy sauce, sugar and a 1/2 a cup of mirin. simmer for about 10-15 minutes. feel free to stir it around. the sauce will be a little thicker but still sauce like.
2. meanwhile in a bowl combine the chopped meat (you can use any kind: turkey, chicken or chopped meat), onion, ginger, carrot, parsley, salt and lemon. make small little meatballs, cocktail style works great.
3. to a saute pan, add a couple tbl of oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan and pan fry your meatballs till brown. you don’t want to over crowd, so cook a few at a time and then set aside to reserve.
4. when all your meatballs are cooked, combine the meatballs and the sauce in one pan, continue cooking for about 10 minutes till the meatballs are coated and cooked.

i am a big fan of baking meatballs, but for this dish i think they become to dry. frying works. if you insist on baking, set them on a baking sheet, cook at 350 for 10 minutes on one side and then flip and cook 10 minutes on the other. make sure they are stable before you add them to the sauce so they don’t fall apart.

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