Chipotle in adobo: Put that in your meatball and smoke it
I love meatballs.
From the giant ones Trattoria Longo in Westerly serves with its meatball salad, to the tiny ones swimming in sweet and sour sauce that someone always brings to a church potluck, to those pale, grayish ones you can find floating in Italian wedding soup — I love them all, especially when someone else makes them for me.
As part of my recent not-spaghetti squash redemption project, I made a batch of Honey-Chipotle Turkey Meatballs from an old clipping from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food magazine.
I was looking for a recipe that wouldn’t make me wish I were eating pasta instead of spaghetti squash. There’s nary a hint of a traditional Italian meatball here. Instead, spicy, smoky chipotles in adobo sauce take the lead.
My first attempt was flavorful but dry. And I think the pan ended up with a better glaze than the meatballs did. I like a soft, moist meatball so on my next try, I added an egg and some breadcrumbs. I also added a bit more liquid to the sauce and swirled the pan a couple of times during baking.
That did the trick. These tasty meatballs are fast and flavorful. And best of all, they’re delicious next to a pile of roasted spaghetti squash topped with red pepper sauce.
Just one more note. The night I made these for dinner, just before we sat down to eat I grabbed the handle of the hot pan and burned the palm of my left hand to the extent that I had to eat my meal with my hand submerged in a bowl of ice water. So it was up to my husband to take the photos while I shouted instructions and advice from the other room.
He’s a saint.
Enjoy!
Jill Blanchette is the multiplatform production manager at The Day. Visit her blog at www.theday.com and share recipes and comments with her at j.blanchette@theday.com.
Honey-Chipotle Turkey Meatballs
Serves 6-8
1½ pounds ground turkey
¾ cup breadcrumbs (If using fresh, add the entire ¾ cup. If using dried, start with ½ cup and add more if needed.)
1 egg, lightly beaten
Half a medium-size onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons honey
1-2 tablespoons chopped chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (If you enjoy heat, add 2 or more.)
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons chicken broth or water
1-2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium bowl, mix together the ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg, onion, garlic, salt and pepper just until combined. Don’t work the meat too much. Stop before it becomes sticky.
Form the mix into 16 meatballs.
In a small bowl, stir together honey, chipotles, vinegar and broth or water. Set aside.
In a large, oven-proof skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add meatballs and cook until browned on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the over and pour the honey sauce over the meatballs, swirling the skillet so they become coated in sauce. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the liquid is reduced and the meatballs are glazed, about 5 minutes. Be sure to swirling the pan at least once, about halfway through.
Original recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food magazine.
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