Just imagine for a moment, tiny hands making tiny meatballs as you sit back and sip a glass of mine. How heavenly is that?
Well, you could do that with your kids.
Everyone loves meatballs – I know that I do and you can use them in so many ways.
Here I have them in a creamy sauce with Indian flavors but you can flavor them any way that you like and have them with pasta, make mini burgers, as a snack – the sky is really the limit.
For the mix:
Use your choice of meats – mix and match all you like
Use:
beef, pork, chicken, veal or lamb.
Chop up some herbs like cilantro, mint or dill and add to the meat. Season with salt and pepper and some garlic would be nice.
Now for the secret – how do you make and keep the meatballs soft?
Bread – plain old white bread – moistened in water and then squeezed – trust me, this is waaay better than bread crumbs.
For the sauce, I added some whipped yogurt and a tiny bit of tomato paste for a lovely hue.
After your kids have formed the balls, just saute them lightly in some oil and then add to the sauce.
If not using a sauce, just finish cooking them and then make mini burgers for your minis.
This is where I used the same meatballs with pasta, extra dill and red chili flakes.
I urge you to experiment and get your kids involved. I promise they will eat everything they make and give you a breather.
Until I cook again!
Indian Culinary Center, NYC 