Sizzling Skillets and Other One-Pot Wonders - Emeril Lagasse [57]
5. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of basil, taste the sauce, and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Remove the rind and the bay leaves. Remove the meat rolls from the sauce and remove the toothpicks or twine. Serve the meat over cooked pasta, with the sauce spooned over all. Garnish with additional Parmesan.
6 servings
BIG BOY MEATBALLS AND SPAGHETTI
These meatballs are for the big boys out there—you know who you are! These big babies are so tender and flavorful, I doubt you’ll have any meatball leftovers, but if you happen to, warm them up and make sandwiches on lightly toasted French bread. Serve these and you’ll have friends for life!
4 slices white bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces
¾ cup buttermilk
1½ pounds ground beef chuck (85% lean)
¾ pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, finely grated (about ½ cup), plus more for garnish if desired
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
¼ cup minced garlic (about 12 cloves)
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
¾ cup dry red wine
One 28-ounce can tomato puree
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 bay leaves
1½ cups water
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leaves
2 tablespoons evaporated milk (optional)
1 pound dried spaghetti, cooked until al dente, for serving
1. Place the bread and buttermilk in a small bowl and set aside for 10 minutes. Mash the bread with a fork to form a paste. Place the ground chuck, sausage, Parmesan, parsley, 2 tablespoons of the garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the bread-buttermilk mixture and mix gently but thoroughly to combine. Shape into about 10 large meatballs (about ½ cup each) and refrigerate briefly to firm up, about 15 minutes.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the meatballs, in batches if necessary, and cook until very well browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the browned meatballs to a large pot.
3. Add the onion and crushed red pepper to the oil remaining in the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and lightly browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook, scraping any browned bits from the pan, until reduced by half, 1 or 2 minutes. Add the tomato puree, crushed tomatoes, bay leaves, and water and bring the sauce to a simmer.
4. Carefully transfer the hot tomato sauce to the pot with the meatballs. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring the sauce to a gentle boil so as not to disturb the meatballs. Reduce the heat so that the sauce just simmers and cook until the sauce is thick and the meatballs are tender, 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally once the meatballs have firmed up and have begun floating in the sauce. Stir in the basil and oregano and season the sauce with salt to taste. If the sauce seems too acidic, add the evaporated milk and cook for a few minutes longer. Remove the bay leaves. Serve the meatballs and sauce ladled over the cooked spaghetti, garnished with additional Parmesan if desired.
About 10 large meatballs, 4 to 6 servings
CONGEE
This soothing Asian rice soup will warm you through and through. It’s all about cooking the rice in a rich broth and then garnishing it with tasty tidbits. Take care not to overseason the soup, since you will be drizzling it with soy sauce and fish sauce before serving. Also, if you don’t want to make your own crispy garlic and shallots to garnish, you can purchase them already cooked in Asian markets, where they’re sold in airtight containers, ready to go. But nothing beats fresh!
1 pound chicken wings