I have a few recipes for meatballs, but try this one. In a word “Fabulous”. Try these once and you will make them many, many times.
- 3/4 cup uncooked risotto
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. celery salt
- 1/8 tsp. pepper
- 1/8 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 2 tbsp. Crisco oil
- 1 (680 ml) can tomato sauce
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- 2 tsp. Worchestershire sauce
In a bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Add the ground beef and form into 1 1/2 inch balls.
In a large skillet, brown the meatballs in oil and drain.
Combine the tomato sauce, water, brown sugar and Worchestershire sauce and pour over the meatballs. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 1 hour.
Serve with a cold salad of your choice and a warm dinner roll.
Hint: We ate the first dinner and then remembered to take pictures. On the 2nd night, we had an unexpected visitor and …..you guessed it. We ate it all up and forgot about the pictures until it was waaaaay too late. I need to set an alarm so we take the picture THEN eat.
Toasty Risotto Cakes With Poached Eggs And Tomato Salsa
Okay, okay, I know but in my defence..summer is coming. Lakeside family/friends time, patio dining at its best. So with that in mind, I give you this. Go ahead…I dare you. What a wonderful way to spend a morning in the warm sun with family and/or friends at the table.
Risotto Cakes
- 3 cups chicken stock
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup Arborio rice
- 2/3 cup finely grated Fontina Cheese, divided
- a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.
- 1/2 cup plus 1 cup panko bread crumbs, divided
- 2 tbsp. fresh basil, minced
- 2 whole eggs, divided
- grape seed oil for frying or Crisco (my favourite)
- 4 poached eggs
- small side salad (your choice of fixings here)
Heat stock in a saucepan until warm. Cover and turn off the heat.
Heat olive oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the rice until coated. Add stock, 1/3 cup at a time and continue stirring until absorbed. Continue to add the stock until all is absorbed and the risotto is creamy (22 minutes exactly). Remove from the heat and add 1/3 cup of the Fontina cheese. Add a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. Spread this out into a 13 x 9 inch pan you have sprayed with Pam. Cover and refrigerate until completely cooled.
In a large bowl combine 1/3 cup of the panko bread crumbs, remaining cheese, basil and 1 whisked egg together. Add the cooled risotto and work in with your hands until evenly mixed. Shape into 4 equal sized patties about 2 1/2 inches in diameter. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Place remaining egg in a shallow bowl and the remaining 1 cup panko crumbs in another. Dip the cakes into the whisked egg and then the panko crumbs to thoroughly coat. Refrigerate.
Tomato Salsa
- 1 cup diced red and yellow cherry and grape tomatoes
- 1/2 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and very finely minced
- 2 Autulfo mangoes, peeled, chopped finely
- 2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
- 2 tbsp. lime juice (freshly squeezed)
- pinch of salt and pepper to taste
- liquid honey to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Toss together to coat evenly. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
To serve
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. In a heavy bottomed oven-proof fry pan heat 2 tbsp. oil until it shimmers. Cook the cakes over medium heat until hot and golden on both sides. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet and keep in the oven while you poach the eggs.
Poach the eggs until done the way you like them and remove with a slotted spoon. Place on a warm risotto cake and top with the tomato salsa. Serve with a small salad of micro greens.
The only thing missing now is a glass of cold juice and a pot of hot coffee.
Pan Roasted Trout With Shrimp Risotto
Thanks for understanding my playing hookey yesterday. Today this recipe is really special and would make a great celebration dinner for whatever the occasion.
This would make a lovely dinner “just because’. Don and I do this once in awhile and it is a wonderful way to enjoy an unexpected date night. I set the table complete with fresh, white napkins and rings, lit candles, flowers (sometimes just silk flowers) and special place mats. In any of my recipes, you can use Salmon if you prefer. Just sayin’.
- 5 cups fish stock (chicken stock if you don’t have any)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 1/2 cup chopped onion
- 1 tsp. chopped garlic
- 1 tsp. fresh thyme
- 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and cleaned
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 1/4 – 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped
- 1 bunch baby spinach, washed, stems removed and excess water removed
- 4 -6 oz. trout fillets
- fig balsamic vinegar for drizzle
Here you can pour yourself a coffee or glass of wine…..and start by bringing the stock to a simmer on the stove and keep simmering until finished.
Heat the oil in a wide pot and add the onion, garlic and thyme and saute for about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and saute until just pink (2 minutes). Remove the shrimp and set aside.
Add 1 tbsp. of the butter to the pot and when it sizzles add the rice. Stir until the rice has coated with the butter then add the wine and let it evaporate for 1 minute.
Pour in 1 cup stock and cook, stirring constantly until almost absorbed, then add another cup. Continue this method until all used and creamy in texture. Exactly 22 minutes.
Add the shrimp and stir just until the shrimp are hot. Remove from heat and add the remaining butter and all of the parsley. Taste to confirm the seasoning is right.
Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the spinach and 1/4 cup of stock to the skillet. Place the trout over the spinach and reduce the temperature to low. Steam for about 8-9 minutes until the ‘milk’ start to come to the surface.
Spoon risotto on each plate, place the spinach and trout on top. Drizzle with fig balsamic vinegar.
Pour the wine, light the candles and let the fun begin! Wow, this is sooooo yummy.
Roasted Vegetable Risotto
This is easy and, as I love Risotto, is a favourite to make. Understanding you can use any leftover roasted vegetables or changing the goat cheese to Romano makes it a “what is in the cupboard” kind of fun.
You need:
- 1 carton chicken broth, 900 ml
- 1/2 cup water
- 3 cups leftover roasted vegetables (any kind)
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 1 small onion (really small for me)
- 2 crushed garlic cloves
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
- 1 cup crumbled goat cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
In a saucepan heat the broth and water until it is hot and keep on low heat. Cut the vegetables into bite size pieces and set aside.
Melt butter in a large wide saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the garlic and onion until the onion is soft. Takes a couple of minutes, but don’t burn the garlic. Add the rice and stir it together.
Add the wine and chili flakes stirring constantly until no wine remains. Add the broth to the rice mixture a half cup at a time, stirring gently until the rice is absorbed. Cook until the rice is tender and not mushy. This takes 20 minutes EXACTLY. In the last 5 minutes of cooking simply add the vegetables and stir through. Add the cheese and stir.This should be served immediately. If left to sit in the saucepan it will continue t o cook and be mush. This is not good.
This makes a great entree or if you are planning a buffet dinner, a wonderful side dish. Just don’t bet that it will last that long. It is yummy!
Taste Rating: 9