A couple of years back, it happened that Laura and I met for lunch the week Sheila Lukins died and I told her that my version of Julie and Julia would be starring Sheila Lukins and The Silver Palate Cookbook. That’s when Laura told me about having mastered Lukins' Chicken Marbella. “I had to have one thing I could cook,” she said. “You know, so if I liked someone, he’d think I can cook.”
I laughed. Guys do it too ... learn to cook something to impress dates they think might be more than well, dates. Mine was Duck L’Orange. My boyfriend, now my husband of nearly 40 years, loved it. It seems we always look to impress with complicated recipes. Julia Child was fond of saying, “You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients.”
This week’s cooking lesson for Laura is about as true to Julia Child’s sentiment as possible. And if the picture posted here of Laura’s son - ready to bite into his meatball grinder - doesn’t say it all, nothing will.
Italian Meatballs and Sauce
Active Time: 20 minutes Cooking Time: 6-8 hours on Low
Meatball Ingredients
1- 1.3 pound package of ground turkey
1/2 cup of seasoned bread crumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup hot tap water
Sauce Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 - 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes with basil
1 - 28 ounce whole peeled tomatoes
1 - small can tomato paste with Italian herbs
1/2 cup red wine
Directions
Stir all the sauce ingredients in the slow cooker bowl. Use a potato masher to squish up the tomatoes into smaller pieces (or you squeeze them as you add them to the cooker between your well washed fingers -- it’s a fun way to mush ‘em for kids).
In a large bowl, mix together bread crumbs, egg and water. Allow water to soak into crumbs, about 3 minutes. Add your ground turkey to the bread mixture and blend well.
Roll meat mixture into approximately 1.5 inch diameter balls (like golf balls) and drop them evenly into the sauce that’s already in the cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Serve on pasta or in grinder rolls. Sprinkle Parmesan on top, if desired.
New cooks should know: Always cook with wine you want to drink. Don't use the swill that Uncle Charlie gave you for Christmas and you've been afraid to open or that cheap bottle you picked up on sale for cooking. Ingredients matter! Cook with good wine. (my public service message add on). :)
ReplyDeleteVery good advice. In this case, we poured right outta the bottle currently being sipped!
ReplyDeleteI'm getting the best meal ideas from you here, loving it. Made meatball grinders last night, my own recipe, but good Saturday night dinner idea. Thanks!
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