05
June
2010
6/5 Chef in the Market Demo: Ken Gordon, Kenny & Zukes
June 5, 2010 Chef in the Market Demonstration by:
Ken Gordon, Kenny & Zukes
Recipe:
Meatball Heros
Ingredients:
2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 lbs. lean ground pork
12 slices white bread, crusts removed
1 1/2 C grated Pecorino Romano
2 C milk
3 eggs
4 T dried oregano
3 large yellow onions, finely chopped
1/2 t chile flakes
salt and pepper, to taste
8 T olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
4 T canola oil
2 quarts good canned tomatoes, chopped
3-4 loaves good Italian Bread – not too hard a crust
Directions:
- In a large pot, heat 1/2 the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the onions and sautee, stirring occasionally, until translucent but not colored.
- Add the garlic and cook – stirring – for 2 more minutes.
- Remove 1/2 the mixture and set aside.
- Add the tomatoes, 1/2 the oregano, salt and pepper and stir well to mix.
- Turn heat to low and simmer at least an hour.
- While the sauce is cooking, place the bread in a large mixing bowl and pour milk over it, distributing evenly.
- Press bread into milk to soak. When bread is thoroughly soaked, pour off excess milk, squeezing out as much as possible.
- Break up bread with your hands so there are no large pieces.
- Add eggs, the reserved, onion/garlic mixture, the pecorino, the other half of the oregano, salt and pepper and mix well until all is well distributed. Do not overwork.
- Using your hands and dipping them in hot water after every 2 or 3 balls, form the meat into 2″ balls.
- Be careful not to pack too tightly. Place balls on large plate or cookie sheet as you make them. You should end up with about 20 or so.
- Heat the rest of the olive oil and the canola oil over medium high heat in a large fry pan.
- When the oil is hot, add the meatballs, one by one, and no closer than 1/2″ apart.
- Brown well on all sides and remove each one as they’re done, placing in the simmering sauce.
- Simmer them in the sauce for 20-30 minutes.
- Cut the bread into 6″ sections and slice open 3/4 of the way. Remove some of the inner bread and add 2 meatballs per section.
- Crush each meatball gently into the bread and add a spoonful of sauce.
- Top with some Pecorino, or some aged Provolone, or Mozzarella and bake lightly to melt cheese.