My father stopped by the other day to say hello. I offered him lunch which he declined but he did take me up on the offer to try one of these turkey meatballs.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
●Igredients
●Instructions
●Serve
Ingredients
For the meatballs
●1 tablespoon butter
●1 large shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
●1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
●6 ounces mushrooms (a mix of shiitake and cremini), finely chopped
●1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
●1 pound ground turkey (we prefer thigh meat)
●1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
●1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
●1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
●1/4 teaspoon lemon zest, optional
●1 tablespoon mayonnaise
●1 teaspoon kosher salt
●1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
●1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For the optional marinara sauce
●1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
●1/4 cup minced onion
●2 cloves garlic, minced (2 teaspoons)
●1 (28-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes
●Salt and pepper, to taste
Special Equipment
●Blender or food processor
Method
1.Cook the shallots and mushrooms:
Melt the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and cook gently for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
Stir in the minced garlic and the mushrooms. Continue to cook on medium heat until the mushrooms are cooked through and have given up some, but not all, of their moisture.
Stir in the herbes de Provence. Remove from heat. Place in a bowl to cool.
2.Make the meatball mixture:
In a large mixing bowl, place the ground turkey, parsley, Dijon mustard, balsamic vinegar, lemon zest if using, mayonnaise, salt, black pepper, and the cooled mushroom shallot mixture.
Using your clean hands gently mix the turkey and other ingredients together until well combined. Don’t over mix.
3.Shape the meatballs:
Form the meatballs, 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide, depending on your preference. Smaller meatballs with be easier to serve as a one-bite appetizer, larger meatballs for a main dish. Place the meatballs on a tray.
4.Brown the meatballs:
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium-low to medium heat. Once the oil is hot, place the meatballs in the pan, allowing for space around each meatball
Do not crowd the pan; if your pan isn’t big enough, cook the meatballs in batches. Gently cook the meatballs until cooked through, turning them frequently so that they get lightly browned on all sides. If meatballs are not browning, increase the burner heat a little.
5.Make the marinara sauce (optional):
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan on medium heat. Add the minced onions and cook until translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for one minute more.
While the onions and garlic are cooking, pulse the canned tomatoes in their juices in a blender or food processor until chopped, but not completely smooth.
Add the tomatoes to the onion-garlic mixture. Cook for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Add meatballs to the sauce. Simmer for a minute to warm the meatballs through. Sprinkle with a little chopped parsley to serve.