Triple Deal
Type of Recipe: Entrée
Cut of Meat: Ground Beef
The following was developed to create 3 different meals from one core recipe.
The following meatball recipe can be used as a mini burger as well as meatballs in soup and/or sliders. You can vary the amount of meatballs you want to add to the soup. The slider recipe makes 12 servings for a meatball, appetizer or snack nourishment. You can also easily make it into a grinder with a larger roll and put 3 or 4 meatballs in a sandwich.
Meatballs
2 lb. McLaughlin Farm lean ground beef
5 T. flour
5T. breadcrumbs
2 large eggs
2 T. dried oregano
2 T. dried parsley
2 t. salt
1 t. ground black pepper
Small whole wheat soft rolls
Combine lean ground beef, flour, bread crumbs, eggs, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper. Be careful not to overwork the meat because it can create toughness.
Shape into 32, 1½ inch meatballs (can vary size for use or for mini burger, flatten the meatball to make a patty).
Brown the meatballs in a 350⁰ oven for 30 minutes.
Turn occasionally to obtain even browning.
Drain any fat.
Meatballs can be made ahead. Cover and chill or freeze.
Mini Burgers
Instead of making a meatball, flatten it into a patty. Brown and bake in the oven along with the meatballs. Place the mini burger in a small whole wheat soft roll which has been split and adorn with condiments of your choice.
Meatball Soup
2 medium onions, chopped
1 T. olive oil
1 large can (47 oz.) chicken broth
3 cans (10 ½ oz. each) beef broth (or make your own with beef soup bones)
1 t. oregano leaves
1 large, dry, whole ancho chile or pasilla chile, seeded and crumbled
4 carrots, very thinly sliced
½ c. rice
1/3 c. chopped fresh cilantro
½ lb. fresh spinach
2-3 limes cut in wedges
Sauté onions with olive oil in an 8 qt. pan.
Add chicken and beef broth, oregano, seeded and crumbled chile, carrots, rice, cilantro and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes or until carrots and rice are tender.
Meanwhile, wash spinach leaves, discard stems, and cut crosswise into thin strips. Set aside.
Add meatballs (add as many as you like) to stock and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add spinach strips to stock and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
Ladle into soup bowls and serve with lime wedges. Taste it first without the lime and then notice the added richness in flavor with a lime wedge squeezed into each bowl. Serve with whole wheat rolls.
Serves 6 – 8 main dish servings
Meatball Sliders
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 28-ounce can cut up tomatoes
1 14.5-ounce can cut up tomatoes
8 T. freshly grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
Add olive oil to sauté pan along with onion, garlic, basil, and fennel seeds. Sauté until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
Add all tomatoes with juices. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly ajar, and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
Pulse the sauce in a processor until almost smooth.
Return the sauce to the sauté pan and add desired amount of meatballs.
Simmer until the meatballs are cooked through and stir occasionally for about 30 minutes.
Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
To assemble; place a meatball in small whole wheat soft roll which has been split and top it with some of the sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese.