Entertaining Magzine: November 2009

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Real Meatballs and Spaghetti

Ingredients

For the meatballs:

1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4-inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don't crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don't clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.

Grilled Peach Salad

Ingredients

Dressing:

3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

Salad:

3 peaches, pits removed and cut into wedges
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
5 cups mesclun greens mix
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

Preheat a grill pan to medium-high heat.

Dressing:

Combine the rice wine vinegar and Dijon in a small bowl. Slowly pour the olive into the bowl, whisking constantly to emulsify. Season with salt.

Salad:

Place the peaches in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and toss well. Place on the grill and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.

Place the mesclun mix in a large bowl. Add chopped pecans, feta, and cooked peaches. Drizzle salad with dressing and toss to coat.

Summer Fruit Salads

f there's one food you should eat as much as possible during the summer, it's fruit. Watermelon, berries, cherries, cantaloupe, peaches; the list of succulent fruit goes on and on.

These easy salads can be served as a side dish, or they can be the centerpiece. Any of these recipes would be delicious with some tender cooked shrimp or cubed ham added. Serve them on delicate greens for even more substance.