Meatballs With Tapenade
Taken from Food Network Magazine from a couple years ago, these meatballs will be a hit at your next gathering!
For the Tapenade
1/2 cup pitted green olives
1 cup fresh parsley
5 scallions, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tables capers, drained and rinsed
1 small clove garlic, minced (more if you like it a little more garlic)
2 teas Dijon mustard
2 tables olive oil
Meatballs:
1 pound ground beef chuck
1 (4 oz) jar pimientos, drained and patted dry and chopped
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Kosher salt
2 tables olive oil
2 tables tomato paste
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tables packed light brown sugar
1 teas red wine vinegar
Prepare the tapenade: Soak the olives in warm water about 5 min and then drain. Combine the olives, parsley, scallions, capers, garlic, mustard and olive oil in a food processor and pulse several times. Set aside
Meatballs
Put the ground beef in a large bowl and add 1/4 cup of the tapenade (reserve the rest for serving along side them)
Add the pimientos, breadcrumbs, egg and salt; mix with your hands until combined. Dampen your hands and form into meatballs 1 1/2″ (I have a meatball scoop that I use). This will make about 24 meatballs.
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Add the tomato paste to the skillet and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, brown sugar and vinegar and cook, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Return the meatballs to the skillet; reduce the heat to medium and simmer, occasionally spooning the liquid over the meatballs until the liquid is reduced by half and the meatballs are cooked through, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a platter and serve with the reserved tapenade.
Chocolate Castles as wel 