SCANDINAVIAN SPICED MEATBALLS WITH CARAMELIZED APPLES
MEATBALLS
- ½ medium onion
- â…“ cup dry red wine
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 large garlic clove
- Generous ¼ teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg
- 1 generous teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons Crossover Spice Blend or a blend of ground coriander, ground cumin, and fresh-ground black pepper
- 1 pound ground beef (85% lean; organic if possible)
- ½ pound ground chicken or turkey thigh (organic if possible)
- 5 large or 10 small pitted prunes, cut into
- â…›-inch dice
- 3 large whole scallions, thin sliced
- Good-tasting extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds, bruised
- 1 medium Granny Smith apple, cored (not peeled) and cut into ¼-inch dice
- ½ medium onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
- ½ cup dry red wine
- ¾ cup Cheater’s Homemade Chicken Broth or canned chicken broth
- 11 or 12 fresh parsley leaves (garnish)
Instructions:
Chunks of tart apple caramelized in red wine coat these little balls.
- In a food processor, puree together the onion, red wine, egg yolk, garlic, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and spice blend. Add the beef and chicken, and pulse 5 times. Scrape everything into a bowl, and thoroughly blend in the prunes and scallions. Shape the mixture into twentyfive or twenty-six 1¼-inch balls.
- Lightly film a straight-sided 12-inch sauté pan with oil, and heat it over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, taking care they don’t touch. Brown them well on one side. Gently turn them over with a metal spatula, and sprinkle them with salt, pepper, the caraway seeds, the apples, and the diced onion. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pan, and cook for 8 minutes, or until there is no pink in the center of the meatballs.
- With a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to a serving dish, leaving the apples behind. Turn the heat up to high. Boil down the pan juices, stirring with a wooden spatula, until the apples are sizzling and browning. Blend in the red wine and keep boiling until the wine has totally evaporated. Stir in the broth, and boil it down by half. Taste the sauce for seasoning; then scrape the sauce over the meatballs. Scatter them with the parsley, and serve.