Meatballs 5268

notbob

For a major improvement regardless the recipe, grind your own from never frozen meat (preground mystery meat is disgusting). Also, add two eggs per pound of meat (most are stingy with the eggs). Personally I don't like blending different meats... that's something the low clbutt taste in butt dagos started due to their garbage picking gypsy life style... you wouldn't cook stew with beef and pork, even hobos know that sucks. I think it's much cleaner tasting to use just one kind of meat, makes it easier to season as well... I like to season ground pork with an oriental flair. And I really don't care for the typical oregano laden guinea style meata-balls in tomato sauce, they are so boring.

Pork Meatballs with Baby Bok Choy

Meatballs:

1 lb. ground pork 2 eggs 2 Tbsp. Shao-Hsing wine or dry sherry 1 tsp. sugar 1-1/2 tsp. soy sauce 1/2 tsp. garlic, minced 1 tsp. ginger, minced 3 tbsp. cornstarch Bok Choy

2 heads baby bok choy, leaves picked off and cleaned of dirt 1/2 tsp. garlic, minced 1/2 tsp. ginger, minced 1/2 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. vegetable oil 1/2 tsp. sesame oil 1 tsp. sesame seeds

Method:

To make the meatballs: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix just to combine. Do not overmix or the meatballs will turn out tough. Cover and let rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Form the mix into little balls, about 3/4" diameter each.

Heat a wok or large skillet and add 2 tbsp. vegetable oil. Add the meatballs. Let them brown evenly around, about 5 minutes until 3/4 way cooked. Remove from heat and drain.

Clean out wok/skillet and add remaining 1 tbsp. vegetable oil and sesame oil.

Add garlic and ginger. SautŽ 10 seconds. Add bok choy and salt. SautŽ for a few minutes, until the vegetables start to soften.

Add the meatballs and continue cooking for another 2 minutes. Serve out onto a platter. -chef2chef-

Thai Meatballs With Crispy Noodles

Ingredients Vegetable oil 1 lb Ground pork 2 lg Eggs 1/2 c Dry-roasted peanuts, finely chopped 1/4 c Chopped fresh cilantro or parsley 3/4 ts Salt 3 3/4 oz Pkg. cellophane noodles (see note) 1/2 c Chunk-style peanut butter 1 tb Grated lemon peel 1/4 ts Ground red cayenne pepper 1 sm Cucumber, sliced 1 sm Carrot, peeled and thinly sliced or cut into thin sticks Fresh cilantro or parsley sprigs, optional

Instructions 1. Pour oil into 3 qt. saucepan to depth of 1"; heat over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, in large bowl, combine pork, egg, ground peanuts, chopped cilantro and salt. Using hands or wooden spoon, blend well. Shape mixture into 1" balls. In 12" skillet over medium-high heat, heat 2 tbsp. oil; add meatballs. Cook about 12 minutes, turning frequently until well browned on all sides. Add 1 cup water, stirring to loosen brown bits from bottom of skillet; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, 5 to 10 minutes until meatballs are cooked through. Meanwhile, add noodles, a small amount at a time, to hot oil in saucepan; cook each batch about 20 seconds until puffed and double in size. Using a slotted spoon, remove noodles to paper towel to drain. When meatballs are cooked, stir in peanut butter, grated lemon peel and ground red pepper; cook about 1 minute longer until heated through. Arrange fried noodles on serving platter. Spoon meatballs over noodles; arrange cucumbers and carrots decoratively around edge. Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired. Makes 4 servings. -ichef-

Note:Cellophane noodles are sometimes called bean thread noodles and can be found in the Oriental sections of supermarkets. --- Sheldon