My Big Fat Greek Meatballs Food

MY BIG FAT GREEK MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix well with your hands.Shape the mixture into 25 round meatballs.Place the meatballs on baking trays lined with baking paper in the refrigerator for one hour to help the meatballs 'set'.Remove the meatballs from the refrigerator, heat some cooking oil in a heavy based frypan and cook the meatballs in batches until they are brown all over, paying attention not to overcrowd the pan.Drain the meatballs on paper towel to remove any excess oil.Add the meatballs to your saucepan of Farmers' Market Roasted Capsicum and Tomato Sauce and heat until the meatballs are cooked through.Serve with a crusty loaf of bread and traditional Greek salad.

GREEK MEATBALLS

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, sweat onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until translucent, about 2 minutes. Let cool and set aside.
• Wring the excess milk out of the soaked bread cubes.
• Place all ingredients, except flour and garnishes, in a large mixing bowl and combine by hand until fully incorporated. Form into little meatballs (about 1-ounce each).
• In a large skillet, heat remaining oil over medium heat. Dredge, or roll the meatballs in flour, and fry in the skillet until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and place on paper towels to drain the excess fat.
• Place on platter and garnish with lemon wedges and torn mint leaves.

LEMONY GREEK MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Finely chop the onion. Mince the garlic.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and spray the foil with vegetable oil spray.
• Heat oil in a small skillet to medium-high. Saute onion and garlic for about 3 minutes or until onion is translucent.
• In a large bowl blend egg and milk. Add breadcrumbs, 2T parsley, and oregano and mix well. Add half of the sauteed onion mixture, the lamb, and the beef to the bowl; season with salt and pepper and mix well.
• Form the mixture into 1 1/2 inch meatballs and put them on the prepared pan. Spray the tops of the meatballs with vegetable oil spray. Bake meatballs at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
• While meatballs are baking, add the wine to the skillet with the remaining onion mixture and bring to a boil. Cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add lemon juice and remaining 2T parsley and cook an additional 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Place the cooked meatballs in a shallow bowl and pour the wine mixture over them. Toss gently to coat well. Serve immediately.

THE BIG MEATBALL

Steps:

• Preaheat oven to 350°.
• In a big mixing bowl, combine the beef, sausage, bread crumbs, parsley, cheese, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and eggs (this works best if you use your hands).
• Place the meat in the center of a 13x9 inch baking dish; shape mixture into a smooth rounded dome 3-4 inches high.
• Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes.
• Spoon or drain off any fat in the dish.
• Pour the marinara sauce over the loaf and bake 20 minutes; let stand 10 minutes.
• Serve meatloaf cut in wedges with about 2/3 cup sauce per serving.
• Left-overs: cut into chunks and reheat in additional marinara sauce; serve spooned into hero or grinder rolls; add a few slices of mozzarella cheese and sauteed green pepper, if you wish.

GREEK PORCUPINE MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Finely chop parsley to equal 1/2 cup and mint to equal 2 tablespoons. Place in a large bowl with meat, egg whites, rice, crumbs, salt and 2 tablespoons of water. Blend well. Shape mixture into a 1.5 inch thick square, cut into 16 pieces and roll each into a ball.
• In a small bowl, blend cornstarch with 3/4 cup water. Place in a large skillet over medium heat with chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add meatballs and cook, covered, for 15 minutes, turning meatballs occasionally. Remove meatballs to a serving dish and keep warm. Reduce heat to low.
• Squeeze lemon to yield 2-3 tablespoons of juice. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks with lemon juice. Stirring constantly, add 3 tablespoons of the hot broth to the yolk mixture. Gradually add back to the skillet, stirring constantly. (NOTE - do NOT skip this step; it tempers your egg yolks so that you don't end up with scrambled eggs in your sauce!).
• Simmer for 2 minutes or until sauce thickens; do not boil. Pour over meatballs and serve immediately.

MY BIG FAT GREEK MEATBALLS

Steps:

• TRADITIONAL PREPARATION METHOD: INTO a large bowl add the MAIN INGREDIENTS without mixing (1 lb fresh ground lamb (other ground meat may be added and/or substituted), 1/2 cup finely minced onions or 1-2 tablespoons minced onion flakes, 1-3 minced garlic clove, 1/2 cup finely minced pimiento-free olives (green or kalamata), 1 cup crumbled feta cheese or 1 cup grated parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon), 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or 1 1/2 teaspoons parsley flakes, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or 1 teaspoon dried mint, 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon crushed dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon white pepper; BEAT a one egg with 1 tablespoon flour in a small bowl; POUR 1/4 cup milk and 1/8 cup ouzo or Pernod (or 1 teaspoon anise extract) into the egg and flour mixture; ADD 1/2 cup bread crumbs; ALLOW breadcrumbs to soak; ADD soaked bread crumb mixture to meat mixture; MIX well; CHILL meatball mixture until very cold (40 degrees F).
• ALTERNATE QUICK METHOD: INTO large food processor add 1/4 cup milk, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon flour, 1/8 cup ouzo (or 1 teaspoon anise extract) and 1/2 cup bread crumbs; PROCESS; ADD the MAIN INGREDIENTS except for ground lamb and feta cheese; PROCESS; ADD ground lamb; PROCESS (Feta cheese may be added to mixture now and processed or folded into after); REMOVE meat from processor; CHILL meatball mixture until very cold (you may use freezer).
• ROLL meat mixture into walnut-sized balls.
• SCANT pour 1 cup flour into a tear-resistant bag.
• PLACE uncooked meatballs into a bag containing flour.
• GENTLY shake a few meatballs at a time in bag with flour.
• REPEAT procedure until all meatballs are coated with flour.
• FRY flour-coated meatballs in at least 1/2 inch hot olive oil until browned and fully cooked, about 1/2 batch at a time (meatballs may be deep-fried in a deep-fryer, or in an electric wok, which is the easiest method providing the best results).
• COMBINE the TZATZIKI SAUCE recipe ingredients and chill. Use this as a sauce, dip or dressing for gyros, or pita sandwiches with sliced cold meatballs in pita bread, or rolled in a flatbread with fresh tomatoes and onions. Delicious!
• Serve and say, "OPA"!

MY BIG FAT GREEK BURGERS

Steps:

• Click here to see how she does it.
• In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, oil, lemon juice, garlic, dill, and salt and pepper.
• Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the feta cheese, dill and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and stir to combine.
• Divide the turkey into 4 equal sized rounds. Make 2 equal sized patties out of each round so you have 8 patties total. Put 2 tablespoons of the spinach-feta mixture onto half of the patties. Top with remaining patties working the turkey around the edges to seal burgers closed. Season the burgers on both sides with the salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Spray a nonstick grill pan with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat, or prepare the grill. Grill the patties until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.
• To serve, place a burger on the bottom half of each bun, top with about 2 tablespoons of yogurt sauce, then 2 or 3 cucumber slices and a lettuce leaf. Top with the other half of the bun and serve.

KEFTEDES - GREEK MEATBALLS

Steps:

• Soak the bread well in water.
• Quarter the onion and chop finely by hand or in the blender.
• Add the parsley, mint, tomato and vinegar.
• Blend slowly, taking care not to puree the mixture. Set aside.
• Squeeze the water out of the bread and put the latter in a bowl.
• Add the minced meat, egg, onion, garlic, tomato, herbs and vinegar and knead well. For a fluffier, mix, spray lightly with water as you knead.
• Cover with a towel and leave for at least one hour in the refrigerator to set.
• Then form into balls a bit larger than a walnut, slightly flattened so they fry faster.
• Toss them in flour.
• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan until hot.
• Add the keftedes, lower the heat to medium and fry.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and lay on kitchen paper to drain off excess oil.